Daily Reading for June 15 • The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
One of the first things that Jesus did in his ministry was to reach out to twelve individuals and draw them into a circle of close companionship with him. . . . Jesus began his ministry alone, but it soon became a communal movement as he called followers to his side, not only because he sensed their potential in helping to build the kingdom of God but also because they were so curious about what he was doing. . . . It was to those who showed the greatest curiosity about what he was teaching that he gave the most of himself, saying, “To you has been give the secret of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11). One of my wisest seminary professors told his classes, “You need to distinguish between the people who really want to hear what you have to say and those who are not interested. It is important to remember that you cannot bless them all.” I think he was right on the point that the key to effective ministry is to answer readiness rather than to press reluctance. As we read Scripture, we clearly see that Jesus was answering readiness in others, rather than pressing those who were less inclined toward him. He sought those who showed the greatest interest, and drew them into a close, intimate relationship. As we look at the first disciples that Jesus called and consider ourselves as part of that enlarging circle, I hope we gain a deeper sense of our own spirituality and how Christ would like to relate to us.
From the Introduction to The First to Follow: The Apostles of Jesus by John R. Claypool, edited by Ann Wilkinson Claypool. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Morehouse Publishing, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. www.morehousepublishing.com