“Jesus called out to them,“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. (Matthew 4:19-20 NLT)
When Jesus called his disciples, they left their nets behind. These nets represented their way of life. They were fishermen . This was their area of expertise, what made them feel competent, productive, and independent.
Disciples are students who commit themselves to following a teacher. They apprentice themselves to their master, adhering to his side--listening, interacting, obeying, learning, emulating. Eventually, their teacher’s ways start to rub off on them, and they become more and more like him.
Discipleship requires us to give up our individuality. We are no longer slaves to our own whims. We are disciplined, committed, and focused. We identify with our Master. Our ideas are influenced by His ideas. Our methods are conformed to His methods. Our character is shaped by His character. As we learn to depend on the Master, we grow more productive and competent in unseen ways. We relinquish separateness for likeness to Christ.
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