I sometimes wonder if we clergy should be charged with misrepresentation. Too often dress up following Jesus in "Damascus Road" clothes. When we preach and teach about divine calling and following Jesus we rehearse the narratives of Moses, Isaiah, and Paul. Burning bushes. Overwhelming visions. Knocked to the ground. This is holy stuff!

To our congregations we recount Jesus' calling his first disciples passionately. We convey the heart racing invitation to "drop our nets and follow Jesus." We hope our parishioners will hear Jesus speak those words into their lives! "Jesus invites us to drop what we're doing and follow him," we proclaim. We remind our listeners that these first disciples immediately left their nets and followed Jesus. We hope our parishioners will do the same. Drop your nets and follow Jesus becomes our constant refrain.

In our preaching James and John, the sons of Zebedee, get the headlines and the press release. James and John left town on the adventure of a lifetime! Driving home our point of responding to Jesus' invitation to drop everything and follow, we recall contemporaries who have left their vocations to follow Jesus to another part of the world, giving them the same "James and John" type of press release.

I wonder what it was like to be Zebedee. When I picture Zebedee I see an old man, dejected and disappointed, sitting alone in his boat. His dreams shattered. "Zebedee and Sons Fishing Company" has been renamed "Zebedee Fishing Company." His retirement plan is no longer relevant. No burning bush. No overwhelming vision. Not knocked to ground. Where's the holy stuff for Zebedee?

Zebedee continues toiling in the family business. Day after day the rhythm remains. Cast the nets. Catch the fish. Clean the fish. While the sons roam the countryside Zebedee casts, catches, and cleans. Each evening he sits along in his boat. This isn't a life to garner headlines and press releases.

I wonder what it was like to be Zebedee. His sons get the slick press release. A "going away party" praises James and John for their commitment to God's mission in the world. In this beautiful portrait of responding to Jesus' invitation, our attention hones in on James and John. If Zebedee is ever considered it is with sympathy. Poor Zebedee. I wonder what it was like to be Zebedee.

I'm left to confront my assumptions about James, John, and Zebedee. I'm left to confront my assumptions about the divine call to discipleship.

  • Perhaps Zebedee was invited to follow Jesus by staying home. Could it be that some of us are called to pick up dropped nets as our act of following Jesus? Could it be that the monotony of casting nets, catching fish, and cleaning them is a faithful response to Jesus' invitation to discipleship? Could it be that Zebedee was still "fishing for men and women" while he toiled at home?
  • Perhaps some of us follow Jesus through vocational calling and familial life. Could it be that following Jesus means working hard and supporting others? Could it be that following Jesus means picking up after our children leave for school?
  • Perhaps we've so romanticized images of following Jesus that staying home (like Zebedee) seems like an act of treason. Could it be that living out the Gospel in the corners of the world in which we live embodies covenant faithfulness? Could it be that becoming a disciple who casts the Good News out into the ponds of our backyards lives out God's mission in the world?
  • Perhaps we've been guilty of looking longingly into another's call to leave town and wished a similar call would come our way. Could it be that instead of looking for a reason to leave we're invited to stay and serve faithfully? Could it be that staying put is living out God's mission where we are located geographically?

Sitting and listening to Zebedee forces me to acknowledge my hidden assumptions about following Jesus. I never heard Zebedee's story to fish for others. His story is far less glamorous than his sons, but seems much more similar to my own. Perhaps I've been invited to stay home, mend the nets, and provide fish for the family. It certainly doesn't seem as glamorous as following Jesus out of town and into a new, grand adventure with nothing but hope in my knapsack. But, truth be told, I need every ounce of hope in my knapsack to remain in my neighborhood!

It seems that for every James and John there are countless Zebedees among us! And Zebedee's call to follow Jesus, while less theatrical and dramatic, is no less compelling and no less complete than the one that sent his sons out on the adventure of a lifetime. I'm thankful for all the Zebedees in my congregation. They're a faithful bunch! We've got quite a fishing company.

Time to get back to mending the nets.