19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him."
-Mark 1:16-20 NKJV
This is how it went down when Jesus called his followers. He passed by them, called them out of their circumstances, sometimes giving them a clue as to what they were being called to ("...and I will make you fishers of men."), and his recorded disciples chose to follow him.
So how does it look when Jesus calls after us today to follow him?
Well, of course we ought to be doing good things so he'll call us, right? Better get good grades and volunteer at the local homeless shelter, right? Because Jesus calls those who have earned it, right?
Ri--no. Let's look at Jesus calling Matthew in Mark chapter 2:
"13 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. 14 As He passed by, He saw Levi [later named Matthew] the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him."
So Jesus called tax collectors who were hated among Jews and known to take more then was required to be his disciples?
Yup! And then some:
"15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Jesus not only called the messy types of people to be his disciples but he desired them as followers and defended them before the religious leaders.
So. Why is it that when we talk about Jesus calling us today as if it was a job interview that we turned in a resume for, were considered, and then we received a callback from Jesus?
Jesus called misfits, unwelcomed outsiders, ordinary working-class (fishermen) as well as the renounced religious folk (Paul).
Jesus' calling us has so much less to do with us, our pasts, our talents, what we can bring to the table, and so much more about him, his past promises, his plans for the future, what he can do in us.
The fishermen didn't seem to flounder about, asking Jesus what their roles would be and what he wanted to do with them because after Jesus loved them, established a relationship with them, taught them, in his timing he told them what he was equipping them to be and to do.
So Christians, young and old alike, let's embrace the relationship over the concerns of our future roles. Let's leave the floundering behind and trust in the one that called us to his side.
Maybe--besides the sour look on his face--maybe this is what Jesus calling us as a people, as a nation, as humankind looks like, I'm not sure.
So the next time that overwhelming feeling of what is Jesus calling you to be occupationally on his behalf take a deep breath, and remember that it's not about what you can do for him, it's about what he wants do in, through, and with you.
He loves you, he thinks fondly of you and to me his calling looks like this photo, getting to know the God and Savior that wants a relationship more than he wants a job well done.
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