There is a difference between watching Jesus from a distance and actually following him. This week's post explores that difference through a simple, honest lens: a nine-month-old puppy named Scout who hears the command “come” and chooses to ignore it. The spiritual parallel lands closer to home than most of us would like to admit.

Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him.

— Mark 3:13

A few months ago, we got a new puppy. You can read more about that here. Scout is nine months old now and still growing. He’s learning commands. Sit. Stay. And the one he refuses to do: Come. Scout likes his independence. Going his own way. Choosing to ignore my call and doing the thing he knows he’s not supposed to do. But Scout’s job is to respond to my command. When he obeys, he enjoys a belly rub or a treat. He knows the good to do, but sometimes, he chooses not to do it. Even when he knows the good that will follow. 

Ignoring The Danger

There is danger in not listening. The road in front of our house is busy. Cars racing up and down at all hours. So, for his safety, I insist he stay in the backyard. I’m not trying to keep him from something he might be missing out on (although he may think so). It’s for his good. The road leads to pain, suffering, and separation from the safety of his home.

These were the lessons Jesus taught the crowds in Mark 3. But the crowds were more interested in signs and wonders than in truth. These vast numbers pressed in seeking a miracle, not faith. They wanted to be awed and astounded, not believe. Jesus felt compassion for crowds. He didn’t neglect them because their motives were wrong. They were just on the outside looking in. 

This is where we all begin. Even as a young child, before I knew I needed a Savior, I attended church. I listened to the stories. I heard people talk about this Jesus, and I recognized his greatness. I didn’t see the need to make any changes in my life. My own sin never entered the picture. 

Called To Follow Jesus

I’m so thankful this isn’t the end of the story. There came a day when Jesus called me by name. He drew me toward himself and opened my eyes to see my own need. He healed me of my sin and called me to give up my own life and follow him forever.

Just like me, not everyone stayed in the crowd. Jesus went up the mountain and when he returned, he knew just who he wanted to follow him. These were the chosen. The ones he wanted to go with him. And they were changed because they chose to obey.

The original language suggests these believers left something behind and followed after Jesus. They recognized Jesus as the Expected One and wanted to align their lives with him. That called for sacrifice and obedience. The call of Jesus was a deliberate summoning. And this action always carried weight. The one who was called responded. 

There are two ways to read Mark 3:13. First, we can simply identify this group as the twelve apostles. And that is accurate. Mark 3:14 says he appointed the twelve men and called them apostles. But there is some scholarship that suggests verse 13 could be talking about a larger group separated from the crowd and distinct from the twelve. These faithful ones were called disciples. These followers included men and women who believed Jesus was the Messiah. They were faithful to his teaching and ministered to his needs. 

From this larger group of disciples, Jesus called out the twelve. This symbolic number reminds Mark’s readers that God had not forgotten his promise to the people of his heart. It points back to the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. The apostles’ call was three-fold — accompany Jesus as he traveled, preach truth, and cast out demons. They served as ambassadors of his coming kingdom — representatives of the Messiah. They took up the mantle of John the Baptist to make a way, prepare, and proclaim the Gospel. To announce that Christ has come.

The Greatest Reward

Some days I think I’m not so different from my dog, Scout. Like he hears my words and chooses to ignore them, I hear the words of God and choose to do the same. He tells me to trust him. To wait or to act. And I know that listening and responding means gaining his approval. The greatest reward is his joy and mine, intermingled. Yet, my self-doubt, sin, fear, whatever you want to name it — keep me from responding to his will. And the result? Pain, suffering, separation. 

Listening and obeying is what sets me apart from the crowd. Jesus is still in the business of calling out the ones he wants to go with him. He still appoints those who are willing to follow him to the ends of the earth. Those who are willing to give up all earthly fame and wealth and power to obey. And the question he asks today is this: Am I willing to give up my own name so that his name can be known? I have a responsibility to respond. I can’t ignore the call. And neither can you.

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Have you ever heard God's call and chosen to walk the other way? Tell me about it in the comments. It may take a few days for it to appear, but I read every one personally.