In many of Christ's teachings are statements that his followers would be blessed and be a blessing to the world. Why do so many people try to follow him but fail to live the same joyful and purposeful life of blessing?

Maybe we need to read a little between the lines of what he said.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." Matthew 4:19

COME

Jesus used the word "come" a lot. If you take a few minutes and look it up you will see he was always inviting people. Many people, however, get the wrong idea of what his invitation is about. He did not invite them to an organization, institution, religion, philosophy, movement, or any of the things we think of when we associate Jesus with the popular definitions. He said come but come to what?

Matthew 4:19

FOLLOW ME

He invites us to himself. He calls us to know and experience him. But to know and experience him is empty without the following of him. We must know his teaching and his way, but more than that, we must be those who do what he taught. We must enact or practice the daily habit of putting him in our lives by obedience to him and knowing him.

AND I WILL

The results or blessings of following him do not come from something we do but from something he does. We do not make our lives a blessing- he does. We don't make our own purpose; he does. Our religion does not fulfill us- he does. Our church does not give us meaning; he does. It is crazy, but it is all about him.

SEND YOU OUT TO FISH FOR PEOPLE

This is a promise, but it is open-ended and not directly defined. It tells first, of God's activity in our lives, but this promise is not for a blessing but for labor. Fishing for others is not a self-focused activity: it is intensely other-centered.

Fish for people is not specific. It may be a work among the poor or the marginalized people it may be reaching out to the sickly or refugees. It may be working among prisoners. It may be meals for the elderly. It may be the many traditional expressions of faith and service, such as preaching and teaching his Word.

As there are many types of fish in the sea, so there are many answers to what fishing for people means. It is not even our determination because he said, "I will make you," so Jesus is the one who enables us to fish for men, and he is the one who defines for each of us what manner of fishing we do.

If we try to build or create our own blessing by following rules or some self-energized activity, we are going to be disappointed. If we give it all up and just focus on coming to Jesus every day and hour and focus on following him every day and every hour, then we will experience him in our lives. He will make us become a blessing to others. There is no guarantee that you will be blessed or fulfilled but you will have something greater; you will experience the works of Jesus in and through you.

Blessings.