From Belief to Following

By Dean Collins

Do you believe that what you eat matters in your overall health? I suspect a lot of people think that fresh vegetables, fruit, protein, and whole grains are important ingredients in a balanced eating plan. And many probably believe that reducing processed foods and sugar also lead to better health. While experts in nutrition may differ on some details of what constitutes a good diet, most of us believe that a healthy diet contributes to better health.

But if I ask you if you are following a prescribed diet that reflects your belief in what constitutes a diet that contributes to good health, you have to move from believing the data on healthy eating and take appropriate action based on that belief.

I am not writing on improving your eating habits today. I am trying to make a point that there is a difference in believing something is true and acting on what is true. In Mark 2 we find crowds of people coming to Jesus to listen to him teach, some with hopes of seeing a miracle. As Jesus was passing by a tax booth, he saw Levi (also known as Matthew) sitting in the booth.

When Jesus made eye contact with Matthew he said, “Follow me.” Matthew stood up and followed Jesus.

We can only imagine much of the exchange between the disciples when Jesus called Matthew. It would be reasonable to assume that they were not any more excited about Jesus asking a tax collector to follow him than the Pharisees were when they saw Jesus eating with Levi at his house later that day. While Levi did work for the Romans, extorting taxes from the Jewish people, Levi was also a Jew who had been raised to believe in God and certainly had been taught the Torah.

Matthew may have impulsively got up and followed Jesus, but I suspect that his observation of Jesus had stirred his old beliefs. And likely for the first time in a long time, a fellow Jew had treated him with kindness instead of disgust when they had their brief exchange.

We know that Matthew was transformed by Jesus and became one of the 12 apostles and even wrote one of the four gospels. But it all began when Jesus treated Matthew with acceptance instead of disdain. And Matthew went from simply believing Jesus to following Jesus. 

There is plenty of evidence in historical sources that Jesus lived. And there is plenty of evidence in scripture and in the writings of the early church fathers that Jesus rose from the dead. Many people claim belief in Jesus. But it is one thing to believe in Jesus and another to choose to follow him. To follow Jesus means that, like Matthew, we must be willing to alter our behavior. 

The Chosen TVseries does a wonderful job of suggesting how the disciples struggled to accept Matthew into their circle. Jesus chose one that the faithful Jewish believers rejected. What would happen in our community if we showed the kindness of Jesus to those that our culture rejects? 

Sadly, some who claim and defend Christian beliefs tend to focus on pointing out who and what is wrong with the behaviors of many, rather than choosing to love them and welcome them even into a conversation, let alone into their church community. To follow Jesus is more than simply holding the right doctrines. To follow Jesus requires that we show evidence that Jesus has not only changed our minds. Jesus wants to transform our behaviors so that we might demonstrate to the world that he came for everyone, not just those with whom we are comfortable welcoming into our lives.

Father, forgive us for our resistance to giving you more than intellectual consent. Transform our hearts today so that we might show everyone your love by our willingness to enter into places and conversations that we have often avoided. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Mark 2:13-17 ESV

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