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“Come, follow me,” Jesus said…”   Matthew 4:19 NIV

My doctor’s waiting room has a large fish tank, which I estimate to be about six feet long. It holds perhaps two or three dozen tiny fish in various colors. Watching these little swimmers can be mesmerizing. Some are red, turquoise, yellow, black, or striped. Others are multi-colored in pink, gold, and blue with white dots on their bodies. There are long, slender fish and other fish with delicate fins that wave like flags.

The other day while I waited for an unpleasant medical exam (we’ve all been there), I was entertained by the activity of the fish. Most of these little guys, the one- and two-inch ones, wander where they please, ducking in and out of shells or swimming around the coral. But there were those others…

My attention was caught by the two largest fish, about four inches long. They had silvery-pink scales and thick bodies. One was slightly larger than the other and seemed to be the “alpha” fish. Wherever he (or possibly she) went, the smaller fish was right with him, usually no more than an inch away. Back and forth they swam in tandem, faster than the other fish, sometimes near the bottom of the tank but sometimes near the surface. Always, wherever the larger fish went, the smaller one followed.

I was impressed by the dedication of the smaller one. It didn’t question the destination; it just followed. It didn’t try to go off on its own, except once when something caught its attention for a split-second; then it raced back to its position behind the larger fish. I watched them for several minutes, and they never varied.

Could we take that as an example of how we should live as Christians?

Sometimes Jesus leads us in a direction we don’t understand or don’t want to go. It could be an unfamiliar or dangerous place, even a place of want. We can trust Him that everything will work for our good if we follow Him, living according to the precepts He taught. There we can sing the words of one of my grandmother’s favorite hymns, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.”

When all is said and done, being in an unfamiliar place with Jesus is far better than remaining in a comfortable place without Him.

“Lord Jesus, when you lead us into new, unfamiliar places in life, we trust in your promises. Help us follow you closely, even when those around us go their own way.”

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (www.cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life