He turned water into wine. He fed thousands with pieces of fish and bread. He calmed tempests. He cured the lame. He commanded legion of demons out of humans. He was a miracle maker. As he did that, many young people in his community gathered around him, with one request: “I will follow you”. Do not blame them – if I have a good life hacker in my community, I will possibly tell him that I will join his team.
But when they asked, he returned with teaching lines: really, are you sure you will follow me? See, I do not even have a house unlike birds and animals. When one asked for permission to go and bury his dead, he reminded him that following him will not allow that privilege. Figuratively, he wanted those who can commit at all costs in the absolute sense of followership to follow him. With those high stakes, many gave up! Yes, he was not interested in those coming for miracles. He wanted those that would be trained to be Miracles in the lives of people through their works.
It is natural even in our modern time. Check Obama, Trump, Hillary, Saraki, Atiku, El Rufai, Ovia, Dangote, etc; they have aides and people that have been with them for years. Those men and women pay huge sacrifices to be with them, because the lives of these people become their lives. It is not an easy job because to serve these people, you practically have to give up many things.
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In the political scene, you may fume why they keep recycling the same aides when there are more qualified outsiders. You miss the whole point: your measure of qualification is faulty and irrelevant. These men have people that have left everything to “follow” them, and just doing that is a clear indication of qualification for the specific political journeys they are embarking upon. In short, some of the men cannot even make time to take their wives to delivery rooms for their babies. They are totally committed to their masters!
But there is a reward when they do just that; yes, even the Miracle maker promised “hundredfold”: “but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms…”Simply, there is a reward for followership but that reward comes with huge investments in many ways. Do not just think you can fall into certain positions without investing in them. To join a company board, never think it can just come from the blues; you must be qualified, and that means you must have followed.
Matthew 8:18-22 New International Version (NIV)
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
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I can say with a measure of certainty that Ndubuisi is a wise man. How you have articulated the point above is nothing short of genius.
Thank you for moving past sensational.
Thank you James – this is a village boy from Ovim. Great Sunday.
There are instances where loyalty trumps skills and qualifications, because there’s no guarantee that the ‘experts’ won’t jump ship, when higher offers come from elsewhere; such people are not fit for great and enduring undertakings.
Commitment is a virtue on its own, so if you do not demonstrate it, you are never qualified for certain roles, your technicalities and capabilities have their limitations in the grand scheme of things.
When you are called or considered to be part of something great, if you start by making excuses or asking for permission, you are essentially saying that you are not qualified to enter the kingdom.
All the great undertakings require high dose of sacrifice, if you are not ready for it, then do not question why some people are ahead of you.
Nice insights.
“Commitment” – that is the summary.
Very beautiful article Prof. Ekekwe. Thank you for sharing. And thanks for reminding me how much Matthew 8:20 resonates with our times.
Awesome – nice week Suzy