He saw them… Mark 1:16-20

“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. Mark 1:16-20

What does it mean to be seen? Truly seen. This passage is about Simon and Andrew, John and James following Jesus’ call, but maybe its also about being seen. He did not just see them, but knew them. He understood their hearts, their hopes, fears, dreams and weaknesses. He saw them. He saw what they did not yet know, that they were faithful and failures, providers and pretenders. He looked at these men and saw them completely.
He saw them at work, sweat dripping, muscles heaving, dealing with both the urgency of casting the net and the tedium of mending it. He saw them working together, chaffing against deadlines and tides, laughing and arguing together. As he stood by the seashore, he saw ordinary men. Not scholars and leaders, not rich young rulers but working men. Men who poured out their lives, with calloused hands and open hearts.
He saw the flicker of hope sheltered from the cold wind of difficulty, of survival, of oppression. Earlier, they had come seeking Him out. Longing to hear, to see for themselves, to dare to believe that the Messiah had come (John 1:35-51). He had seen their hopes, their dreams, and the yearning deep within their hearts. He knew that each of them longed for more in their lives, for meaning, for purpose, for mission. He saw not only what they were, but what they could become. He saw how their zeal could be used to reach the lost, how their failure would produce humility and tenderness, how ordinary men could transform the world.
He saw them much more clearly than they understood themselves. Their walk with Jesus would reveal not only the Living God but their own fears, failures, and growing faith. They would become more, but it would take dying and sacrifice, failure and faith. Maybe they followed, left everything behind and followed, not because of the calling but the because of the seeing. Maybe like me, they longed to be known, to be understood, to be accepted completely. Maybe they responded to the Call not because they understood it, surely they didn’t, but because He saw them, and that is worth everything. Maybe they risked everything and everyone in order to be with the One who saw them.
Reflect– What made you think as you read this?
Receive– What touched your heart?
Respond– What will you do because you read this?