It’s Christmas morning and I was reading the account of Jesus’ birth and the beginning of his earthly ministry in the book of Matthew.  As I read chapter 4, verses 21-22, it struck me with the thought of what Zebedee might have felt when his sons dropped everything and followed Jesus. 

Simon Peter and Andrew had just left their fishing nets to follow Jesus, and as they walked along together they saw James and John and Jesus called them to also join Him.

Hear what the word of God says in these verses: “And going on further from there He noticed two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets and putting them right, and He called them.  At once they left the boat and their father and joined Jesus as disciples…”~Amplified version

Notice how the scripture say at once they left the boat and their father.  The scripture doesn’t say they discussed it with their father to ask if he would mind if they left.  It doesn’t indicate whether or not their father approved.  It just says at once they left.

This got me thinking about Zebedee.  Was he distraught that his two sons just up and left to follow this man Jesus?  Was he angry?  Did he call to them as they left, asking what they were doing and why?  Did he question whether or not they cared that they were leaving him with the mess of finishing the work alone?  Or was he happy to see them follow Jesus?  Did he wish them well and thank Jesus for choosing his sons to be disciples?  Did he understand anything about Jesus at all?

Sometimes when we follow Jesus we have to walk away from others in our lives who are not willing to follow Him.  That doesn’t mean we just leave them behind and forget about them. We need to let them know that Jesus is worthy of our worship and our commitment to follow Him no matter what.  We need to tell them what Jesus has done for us and what He can do for them.  We need to show them the love of God, but we also need to be faithful to One who called us NO MATTER WHAT!

Will you be faithful to follow Jesus no matter what?