Epiphany 3

What would be your dream job? I came across a list of real but unusual jobs. See if any of these fit the criteria for your dream job:

The first one is golf ball diver: these folks dive for the golf balls that end up in ponds or lakes on golf courses. They sell the balls to companies that clean them and re-sell them.  If you work this job in Florida, be sure to watch out for those gators!

Or, how about water slide tester? Theme parks hire folks to test out new water slides and rate them according to safety, fun and comfort. If you’re adventurous and like getting wet, this may be a great job for you.

Or this one: Online dating ghostwriter: Some people make good money writing profiles for folks to post on online dating sites. If you love to write and you love to play matchmaker, this may be your dream job.

Or how about gross stunt tester. These folks are hired by TV shows to test out gross and outrageous challenges before the contestants try them. Their purpose is to ensure that the challenges are safe and that they “contain the maximum grossness factor.” This doesn’t sound like my dream job, but it pays pretty well, up to about $800 a day.

When you read today’s Gospel about Jesus calling his first disciples, it’s amazing how quickly they said, “Yes!”

Was this their dream job? As they were fishing, were they secretly dreaming about a job that required lots of travel, being away from their families, and eventually facing persecution, imprisonment, and death? Does that sound like your dream job? What was it that made them leave everything behind to follow a humble carpenter and rabbi? How would our life change if we answered the call to follow Jesus with that kind of commitment?

Perhaps the disciples said yes because they knew the story line. They understood that following Jesus means living an abundant life. In John 10:10, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who have criticized him for healing a blind man on the Sabbath. They don’t understand that he is God in the flesh. As part of Jesus’ response to them, he says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The Greek word used for “have it to the full” can also be translated as “superabundance” or “in all its fullness.”

Most of us spend our lives anxiously chasing our own priorities, our own security, our own definition of success. But what if there is a more abundant life, filled with more joy and hope and peace than we could possibly imagine? If you measure your life in terms of success, you’ll never find an endpoint, will you? You could always make a little more money, get a few more perks, get another promotion or a more prestigious award. But what’s the difference between a successful life and a meaningful life?

Emily Esfahani Smith is a writer and speaker in Washington, DC. She studied hundreds of academic papers on creating a meaningful life and found some common themes appeared in most of them. She wrote about these themes in her book, The Power of Meaning. Her research showed that the things that are essential for a life of meaning are: A sense of belonging, a sense of purpose, the ability to shape the experiences of our life into a meaningful story and experiences of transcendence, where we are connected to something greater and more awesome than the physical world.

When Jesus called his first disciples to “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people,” he’s offering to them – and to us today – a sense of belonging, a sense of purpose, a story that makes sense of the world, and an experience of transcendence. He’s challenging us to choose a more abundant life.

What is the best way to live in the few short years we have on this earth? What is the highest purpose for your life? If Jesus is God in the flesh, then isn’t our best and highest purpose found in trusting him with our lives? Following Jesus means living an abundant life.

A second reason the disciples said yes to Jesus is because he was offering them the opportunity to lead others to both abundant and eternal life.  Jesus has chosen you to be a bearer of new life.

A young man named Tyler had just graduated from college. Tyler had a passion for creating a men’s ministry, and he was looking for a graduate program that would equip him for this work. He had applied for graduate programs at various universities, but he hoped he would get accepted to a program in southern California, where he had completed his undergraduate studies. He enjoyed living near great beaches, and all kinds of restaurants and museums and amenities.

But then Tyler got an invitation to interview for the graduate program at Mississippi State University in the little town of Starkville, Mississippi. It would be a vastly different experience than living in southern California. Plus, he had no friends or family in Mississippi. When the folks at Mississippi State offered him the position, it should have been great news. But as Tyler drove to the airport to return home, he was deeply conflicted about which university was the best choice for him.

In the airport lounge, Tyler noticed an older Black man who was walking around greeting fellow travelers and making small talk. This man was so lively and full of joy that Tyler couldn’t help but watch him. Then the gentleman approached Tyler and asked him about his travels. Tyler began telling him about his interview at Mississippi State, and his conflict about which university to choose. He also shared with the man his deep passion to create a ministry for men, and how he didn’t know where God could best grow his skills for this ministry.

The gentleman smiled and said, “I want you in my state. I’m going to be praying for you.” Then Tyler asked the gentleman his name, and he replied, “John Perkins.” Suddenly Tyler realized who he was talking to. John M. Perkins is a former Congressman, pastor, and a major leader in the civil rights movement. He worked for the causes of school desegregation and ending racism and injustice in our nation. He was arrested and imprisoned, beaten and tortured, and threatened with death for his work on behalf of justice and equality. Tyler was speechless when he realized that he had been talking to one of his heroes.

Before they ended their conversation that day, John Perkins said, “Tyler, if I’m still living when you get to Mississippi, I want to come alongside you and do ministry with you.” Tyler could not even imagine a greater and more meaningful opportunity than to learn from John Perkins and do ministry alongside him. All the fear and conflict about which path to choose disappeared when John Perkins said those words.

How would your life look different if you left behind your own plans and priorities and gave your life to following Jesus? What if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Spirit of Jesus living in you would empower you to live a more abundant life? And what if you understood that you are now equipped to lead others to an abundant and eternal life by sharing your faith in Jesus?

When Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people,” he wasn’t just offering Peter and Andrew and James and John their dream job. He was offering them a pathway to an abundant life. And he was offering them the opportunity to bring the power and the message of eternal life to everyone they meet.

Anyone can aim to create a successful life. You have an opportunity every day to choose a life that focuses on your own agenda, or a life that is centered around the work of Jesus Christ.

You can bring life and light to the world. And your impact will live on long after you are gone.

So, what are you willing to leave behind to answer the call?