I wonder if Jesus told the disciples to give up everything and follow him to change their way of thinking. Think about it... They had been doing the same thing day in and day out.. How could he have expected them to fully embrace his teachings while still worried about how they looked in the eyes of the law of the land? How could the disciples be open to anything different if all they were following was what they knew? In our time we call that insanity (Doing the same thing day after day expecting the same results). Jesus had to get them away from those who could be said to have the most influence on them, strip them bare, and then build them up in a different mindset. He has to do those things with us as well. People hit ruts in their lives because their thinking never changes. Once they get it into their heads that they cannot do it, that's it and they give up. Why is it that way? I believe its because they have not changed their way of thinking. I believe its because they keep relying on what they know (think they know) without taking that leap of Faith. I doubt that we would be here discussing this if someone had not said "I want to see what this Jesus cat is really talking about". It was a pretty radical idea to walk away from being a fisherman to being a fisher of men....
What can be done to change your way of thinking? Have you gotten into a rut and don't see a way out? Do you have a dream that no matter how hard you try it won't come to pass? Maybe, it's because you haven't decided to give up everything to follow Christ. Maybe it's because you keep doing the same thing day after day after day and expecting to see something different. Maybe it's because you keep hanging around the same people day after day after day and not broadening your circle. My favorite quote as of late is "If you're the smartest person in your group, you're group is to small.".
As we continue on with the rest of the year, lets make that apart of the things we accomplish. Let's get out and do something different everyday. Let's talk to someone different each day. Let's start a new activity. Lets go to Church with that friend who keeps inviting us yet our belief systems might be different. Lets pray for God to work wonders in our lives instead of just asking for gas money (I'm guilty of this one myself)... Let's change how we think and see where it takes us.
What can be done to change your way of thinking? Have you gotten into a rut and don't see a way out? Do you have a dream that no matter how hard you try it won't come to pass? Maybe, it's because you haven't decided to give up everything to follow Christ. Maybe it's because you keep doing the same thing day after day after day and expecting to see something different. Maybe it's because you keep hanging around the same people day after day after day and not broadening your circle. My favorite quote as of late is "If you're the smartest person in your group, you're group is to small.".
As we continue on with the rest of the year, lets make that apart of the things we accomplish. Let's get out and do something different everyday. Let's talk to someone different each day. Let's start a new activity. Lets go to Church with that friend who keeps inviting us yet our belief systems might be different. Lets pray for God to work wonders in our lives instead of just asking for gas money (I'm guilty of this one myself)... Let's change how we think and see where it takes us.
