Have you ever made fun of Jesus’ disciples? Have you ever found yourself studying the Gospel passages, or worse, teaching the same, and declare in your thoughts… “Will you look at these guys, they are nearly clueless; what knuckle-heads.”

If you, like me, have found yourself dwelling with the Pharisees in “self-righteous town” ponder this…

…and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.  –Matthew 4:22

Now face a second question, “have you ever done that? Left everything you’ve spent most of your adult life building; wife, kids, home, career …”

The best part of life is time spent in the center of God’s will. I can attest to the joy experienced when the call is heard and obeyed. However, I can’t think of a single time of following the call that didn’t take me out of my comfort zone.

In a very small way, I taste what it’s like to leave the ones you love behind each time I head to the airport. There is a profound sense of loss each time I watch the Phoenix valley grow small looking out the airplane window.

I have a cell phone and an iPad. I visit with my wife and family often while away from home. Although it’s nothing like being there, electronic gatherings numb the pain of separation. The disciples didn’t have this luxury.

I can’t think of a group of men who experienced a greater sense of joy as they sat at the feet of Jesus and later built the church and lived the Gospel life. And I can’t think of a group of men who experienced a greater sense of loss as they left everything to do so.

They lived life on this swinging pendulum. It must have been exhausting. No wonder they couldn’t stay awake in Gethsemane.

I now look at the disciples with a profound sense of awe, not in the disciples, but in a Savior that could sustain a group of men like them, like me.