On the shores of Lake Galilee

While out at the park yesterday eating a mozzarella-and-pepper wrap in my car, I was surfing the radio dial and came across Tony Snow subbing for Bill O’Reilly. I like Tony; he’s articulate, polite, has a wry sense of humor and a great tone to his voice. I listened for a half-hour, and he said something that I can’t quite get out of my mind.

Since it was Good Friday, he wanted to take a break from the endless Obama-Wright analysis and talk a bit about Christianity and the new Atheism rising in this country. In his monologue he brought up the C. S. Lewis argument that when faced with Christ, one must either think Him a liar, lunatic, or Lord. Those are the only choices. Then, he went on and mentioned another well-known apologetic, the fact that one does not give up one’s life for a myth. One doesn’t willingly become a martyr for a lie. But for the Truth ...

Jesus walked up to Peter and Andrew, James and John, on the shores of Lake Galilee, as they were putting away their fishing gear after a long day of work. He said, “Follow Me.” And they did. And what Tony Snow said, and what sticks in my mind, is this: What did they see? What exactly did those men see, that made them immediately, without wavering, without looking back, immediately leave everything behind and follow Him? What would I need to see to leave this “job” that I do only because it’s what I’ve always done, to leave my economic fears, my social fears, all the fears and self-imposed limitations that hold me back from doing what I know He wants me to do?

What did they see?