The Invitation to Follow Jesus

~~~ Amos 2: 6-10, 13-16 ~~~ Psalm 50 ~~~ Matt. 8: 18-22 ~~~

Remember this, you who never think of God.

"Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth...and cast my words behind you?"

I am always sadened by the many emails I receive filled with hate pretending to mascarade as either a joke or the truth. Many times what is presented as a joke is really just hatred directed toward a person or a group of people. Many times emails are circulated that are actual lies, but they express what a person wants to believe...true or not. Often I wonder if the sender even wants to know the truth.

How can you call yourself a Christian when you deliberately spread falsehoods and use words demeaning another child of God?

"You sit speaking against your brother;
against your mother's son you spread rumors.
When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?

I suppose we can make excuses for our actions and make up some reason to justify our comments, but who are we fooling. God sees the reality of all things. We cannot fool God into believe we have good intentions in passing on jokes that attack and belittle others. You profess to be followers of Jesus while your lips speak otherwise.

It just causes me to wonder, as I try not to judge. As I try to dismiss these emails and jokes I find offensive.

Is it because we profess to be Christians that we feel justified in what we chose to spread? Are we exempt the command to love above all else?

A scribe approached and said to him,
"Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

We give lip service to following Jesus, but then we impose our own interpretation.

Jesus lived his life going beyond the boundaries to act out of love; never hatred. Jesus did not ridicule instead he used his parables to teach a better way.

Jesus extended invitations to follow him...Come and see he would say.

Don't make excuses as to what you must do before you follow him.

What if you delay and miss the invitation?

What if you go off thinking you can follow later only to later realize that you cannot find him. Only to find that you have instead crowded him out of your life...

The day you hear his voice is the day for you to walk in his ways for the rest of your life. Yes, he will always be there for you, but when you get the personal invite it's best to RSPV as soon as possible.

Befoere you pass on a joke or an email consider the content and discern whether or not it is something you should be passing on to others.

Ask yourself...Is this going to build up the Body of Christ?

Look for things uplifting to pass on to others.

Be the one that stops the circulation of emails laced with fear and hate.

Instead spread the true gospel message of unconditional love.

Along with following Jesus comes responsibilities to live according in our actions as well as our words.