“Peter began to say to Him, 
‘Behold, we have left everything
And have followed You’.”
~~Mark 10:28~~

Initial questions: 

• Do I understand what the Bible means by “left everything”?
• What does “following” look like with skin on?

Backstory: a rich young ruler had asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?”,  and Jesus said “you know the commandments” and listed a few of them.  This young ruler attested that he has kept them from his youth.  “Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack; go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me’.”  This young ruler went away from Jesus, grieving because he had much wealth. 

Jesus used this interplay to teach the disciples how hard it is for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God – like a camel passing through the eye of a needle.  The disciples were concerned because that seemed impossible.  But Jesus said to them, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”  Then Peter uttered his declaration, “Behold! (See!!!), we have left everything and have followed you.”

Do I understand what the Bible means by “left everything”?  

The word “left” <aphiemi> means to leave alone, forsake. Lest I wrongly assume I know what forsake means, I looked it up in the dictionary and found it to mean: to renounce or turn away from entirely.  What does it look like to turn away from something entirely.  The dictionary defined “entirely” as, to the full or entire extent; completely, to the exclusion of others 

Peter said, “We have left everything <pas> meaning, any, every, the whole; in all manner of or means.  This word is used in a radical sense, not in the sense of a casual leaving (“I left to go to the store”).  

What does “following” look like with skin on? 

The phrase “and followed” <akoloutheo> is written in the perfect tense which denotes a completed, one-and-done action), and it means, a road; to be in the same way with; to accompany as a disciple, attendant

I looked at how Webster defined “follow”.  Check out the nuances of this verb.

• • To go or proceed after
  • To engage in as a calling or way of life; pursue
  • To be or act in accordance with; accept as authority
  • To copy after; imitate
  • To watch steadily, keep the mind on; attend closely to

PAUSE TO PONDER:  Could you emphatically speak up to Jesus and say, “I have left everything and followed You.”?  Think about the following phrases and do some self-examination.  Ask the Spirit of God to reveal to you any areas where you have missed the mark.

“To go or proceed after” – 

• Do you get up in the morning and “take the lead” with your own agenda, not giving any thought to what Jesus may want you to do today?  
• How do you react when God chooses to interrupt your schedule on any given day?  (ouch on both counts for this girl)

“To engage in as a calling or way of life; pursue” 

• What do I pursue? – Furthering God’s kingdom, or furthering my own?  
• Am I more engaged in magnifying God’s name, or making a name for myself
• No man can serve two Masters, so if I’m not serving God, pursuing Him completely, I am serving myself.  Sobering reality…ouch

“To act in accordance with; accept as authority” 

• Jesus is my Savior, but do I daily acknowledge, through my behaviors and choices, that He is my LORD?  I can’t be “following HIM”, if I’m doing things my own way.  
• When the Spirit prompts me to speak or to do something, do I act in accordance with His prompting, accepting Him as my authority, or do I behave as though “I” have more, or at least equal, say about what I do with my life than He does?  
• Do I live in light of the truth that I’ve “been bought with a price” and I’m no longer my own?  Oh my… 

“To copy after, imitate”  

• Ephesians 5:1 teaches, “Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children”.  I remember when my daughter was little and we would be sitting in church.  If I crossed my leg to the left, so did she.  If I put my hands a certain way, so did she.  As a dearly loved child, she desired to mirror my actions.  As dearly loved children of God, we should be doing the same.  Love what He loves.  Hate what He hates.  
• Is my focus locked on Jesus to know how and when to act?  I am called to “lean not to my own understanding”, but “in all my ways acknowledge (God)”.  Only HE can make straight paths for my feet. (Proverbs 3:5b-6).  Think back to how God led the Israelites through the wilderness.  They kept their focus on the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.  That was the only way they knew when they were to move and when they were to stay.  

“To watch steadily, keep the mind on; attend closely to”

• What is coming to mind right now is something God impressed upon me the other day – the phrase “Where you stare, you steer”.  When you are in the car, and you are driving to your destination, you need to be alert, with your eyes on the road and your mind on the destination.  But let’s be honest, there are times when something catches your eye and steals your focus.  It’s not long until you begin to drift/drive in the direction of what you are looking at.  Think of the consequences of that shifted focus – you could go off the road or into oncoming traffic – you could miss the road you were supposed to turn on, thus making you miss your destination, or at the very least, causing you to arrive late.  God has a plan for each of us.  We need to keep our mind on that fact, and attend closely to every directive that He is giving along the way. 
• Proverbs 4:11-13, “I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.  When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.  Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.”

Let me leave you today with one final question.  

If you depended on the Spirit for directions,
as much as you depend on Waze,
how different would your life be?