Stress Test Devotional May 25
May 25, 2024
MATTHEW 4:18-22 | As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Inviting others to come and explore a community of faith is exciting. The Holy Sprit can direct your invitation to anyone, anywhere, at any moment. A casual conversation may lead to a spontaneous invite that blesses into a new spiritual adventure. When I meet someone and they learn I’m a pastor I often sense an opportunity to invite them immediately.
But other times it is wiser to develop a friendship and a deeper guess of someone’s feelings and prior religious experience before inviting them. Comparing John’s account of the invitation to Andrew and Peter with the other gospels implies a larger relationship before Jesus invited them to connect with his company.
Have you ever issued a spontaneous invitation?
How do you decide it would be better to wait and learn more about someone?
