Mark 1:16-20 Follow Me

Jesus goes for a walk by the lake. (You may guess that I love lakes). He meets two groups of fishermen. He calls them and "immediately" they leave their families, their nets and boats and "followed Him".

What was it that would make men leave their families and incomes to follow an itinerant preacher?

1. His message about "the kingdom": They must have heard His preaching and to them it was good news. What did they think the kingdom was? Probably something quite different to the kingdom Jesus spoke of.
2. Him: Jesus must have been "attractive" in the original meaning of the word. People liked to be near Him. He had authority and a sense of purpose.
   
3. His call "Follow Me": I want to be chosen, to be wanted, to be welcomed. I guess they did too.
4. His promise "I will make you become fishers of men" : I wonder how they understood that. Was it some sort of promotion, a career path? Or was it just intriguing? I guess it meant, at least, that they would have some sort of power over other people.

So the brothers Simon and Andrew, and James and John, sons of Zebedee, went walking with the Son of God by the lakeshore. Can I do that too?