SOMETHING MORE COMING

Jesus, when I'm at school and feeling bored, help me ask for something more! Amen.

When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been arrested for teaching about Him, Jesus moved to Capernaum and started teaching there instead. One day, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, who were fishermen. "Come with me," Jesus said, "and I'll make you fishers of men." So they dropped their nets and followed Him.

School can be frustrating when you're learning things you feel like you know already. You get bored and, although you'd rather play than work, learning new things can feel almost as good. You want something more.

It's easy to think that Simon Peter and Andrew, whom we meet in this week's Gospel (Mt. 4:12-23), might have felt like you. When Jesus finds them, they're fishermen -- but, obviously, He thinks they're capable of a lot more!

Getting bored often happens because you're doing the same thing over and over. If you know all your spelling words, it isn't exciting to practice them. Learning new words is a little more interesting.

Simon Peter and Andrew must have known their jobs well, because they were supporting their families by fishing. But maybe it wasn't that exciting a job for them; they were definitely ready for a change when Jesus came along.

As soon as Jesus asked them to follow Him -- making them His first Apostles -- they dropped everything to do that. They literally left their fishing nets, homes and families to become Jesus' closest followers and friends.

That's a good thing to remember next time you're bored with schoolwork: There are always new and more interesting things coming along -- especially if God gets involved!

(01/24/08)