What kind of person are you?
There are millions of people jostling everyday to live, find peace and solace and fight the everyday struggles of life. There are people wanting to know and experience Jesus and there are others who can’t find the time to be bothered. What kind of a person are you?St. Luke (Lk 9: 57-62) talks about three types of people who desire to follow Jesus.
1. The first person comes to Jesus and enthusiastically asserts that he would follow him wherever he would go. Am I that person?
I go for retreats after retreats, preacher after preacher tailing Jesus to see his wondrous miracles, signs and spectacular testimonies of healings. But Jesus reminds me that following Jesus is not that easy. I need to sacrifice my comforts, my rest, and food and then only follow him. I need to let go of all those luxuries if I truly love the Lord and wish to follow him. Only when I can let go of my comforts, can I truly follow Jesus.
2. Jesus himself invites the second person to follow him. But this person is too attached to his wealth and property that he would get after his father’s death. His subsistence is not in the Lord, but he needs to have a backup plan ready. Am I that person?
Do I say Lord, Let me first get this job or this marriage partner or let me achieve something in life and then I will follow you. Or Lord, I am too young now, once I’ve settled, then I will follow you. If I am this person, the Lord says to me let the people of this world who have the worldly mentality look after jobs and careers and marriages, but you have to go out and proclaim God’s word. You are not called for the things of this world, but for riches in heaven for Gods purpose. Traditions, superstitions and formalities of this world will not grant rest or give true happiness. You are called to be happy and obey God’s word. (Lk 11:28).
3. The third person places a condition stating that he would follow Jesus provided he can say goodbye at home. Am I that person?
Am I emotionally attached to my family, friends and past events in my life and letting go of it is affecting my relationship with Jesus? It is the devil who makes us guilty by reminding us of our notorious past. But the Lord Jesus reminds that a person who looks back once committed to God is not fit. God’s word gives us a blessing and people who keep looking back at their past are called to remember Gods wonderful promises in Is 43:18.
God did not refuse any of the above 3 people who wanted to follow him, but there is one person whom God refused to follow him. And that us this next person.
4. Mk5:18 , Mt 8: 28 – A demoniac who was residing in tombs was healed by the Lord. Are we like the demoniac living among spiritually dead people, promoting nudity and exposure of our body, violent and have suicidal tendencies like the demoniac? Am I that person?
I need to look back into my life and pray for release from the evil. When the demoniac who had been healed requested the Lord to let him follow, Jesus refused and asked him to go back home to his family and testify the wonderful deeds of the Lord. Because of this one testimony, people in 10 towns (Decapolis) believed in the Lord. The Lord has a plan for everybody (Jer 29:11) To some he asks to follow him, to some he asks to testify the Lord wherever they may be. What is God’s plan for me?
5. Some people want to follow God and do follow him. Some people cannot follow God because of illness, disease, mental problems and many other hindrances. It is people like these who need others around them to help them. We need to carry such people to the Lord in prayer and action.
(Mt 9: 1) – Some people carry a paralytic man to the Lord through the roof. Carrying a paralytic man requires bodily strength. You need to be humble to ask permission from the owner of the house to open the roof. It requires planning. We too are called to carry people to God. We too are called for the salvation of the others. Just like we don’t know who are these people who carried the paralytic (Family, neighbors, friends), we may not get the credit of saving a soul in this world, but our reward would be great in heaven. Am I that person called to intercede for others?
6. There are other people who are shy, fearful, ashamed of themselves or too conscious of their deficiencies. They do not come forward to showcase their talents for the glory of God. The Lord himself calls such people (Mk 3:1) to come forward. When such a calling occurs, do not hold back but totally surrender to the Lord. Am I that person? Can I hear his voice?
WHAT KIND OF PERSON ARE YOU?
