Luke 5:1-11
I asked my grandma once about a foster child that lived with them for a short time. I’d seen pictures of the girl and heard stories about her but never knew how she came to the family. My grandparents had a very full house with 11 kids of their own. At the time they got the call asking them to take in a teenage girl, there were still 10 kids living at home. But my grandma didn’t say no to the social worker, she explained that they were leaving the next day for a vacation. To her surprise, the social worker’s response was not a polite thank you, we'll find a different family. She thought a vacation would be wonderful for the girl and dropped her off a few hours later. And that was how Vicky went on vacation with the family, lived with them for a short time and is in a few old family pictures. Can you imagine? In the midst of getting 12 people ready to travel in a station wagon for a week (clothes, food, all the things) adding a stranger to the trip. But that was my grandma, she adjusted and made it work. It is just the way she was.
The scripture today, Luke 5:1-11, is the story of Simon Peter, James & John abandoning their boats & fishing nets to follow Jesus. They became disciples fishing for people. This is what all people who follow Jesus are called to be, but what does it mean to be a disciple? It is the ultimate game of follow the leader. It requires being like Jesus. Being like Jesus leads you to places that Jesus would go. We know Jesus went to difficult places and was drawn to people in the margins. He served and loved in a way that made others want to follow him. To be disciples, we have to be like Jesus.
That’s why I say Grandma was the first disciple in my life. She did very difficult things without complaint and was drawn to people in the margins. She helped people like Vicky in foster care, and later in life worked as an activities director in a nursing home. She made everyone she met feel loved, saw the good in people, and was constantly serving others. She was always giving thanks and praise to God. It was just the way she was, a disciple of Jesus. I wish I was more like her and I wish there were more people like her in the world.
Questions for Reflection:
- Who are the disciples in your life? Have you told them thank you?
- How can we be better disciples?
Prayer:
Lord, wherever we look today, allow us to catch a glimpse of you. And whenever others look at us today, allow them to catch a glimpse of you. Amen Prayer from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals
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