John 21:19  Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” (NLT)

Mark 1:16-18  One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (NLT)

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Do over. 

Begin again more intelligently. 

Move from competence to mastery. 

And, as one of my favorite leadership books says, go Beyond High Performance. 

The Apostle Peter understood these ideas. He helps us understand these ideas. No one stated more spectacularly brilliant insights about Jesus. No one put his foot in his mouth like Peter. No one denied Jesus like Peter. 

The Gospels show us Peter at his best and at his worst. And Jesus’ last recorded words to him? They were the same as his first. 

“Follow me.”

If you are tempted to think you have arrived and couldn’t possibly get more spiritual and Christlike, remember Peter. 

If you are tempted to think you are beyond redemption, remember Peter. 

Jesus’ first words to you and his next words to you are the same as they were to Peter.

“Follow me.”

Peter followed Jesus all over the region around Galilee and Judea. He alone followed Jesus on the water. He declared that he would follow him anywhere, even to his death. Let’s just say there were some sinking spells and stumbles between his brash declaration and his later death on a cross like Jesus, but upside down because he did not consider himself worthy to die like his Savior, and maybe so that his last look was toward the heavens where he had seen Jesus ascend. 

No matter how far you’ve fallen, no matter how rotten is your core, no matter how beyond redemption you feel, Jesus is still saying to your heart, “Follow me.”

Go beyond all your false starts and failures. Join Jesus on his journey. Become who you might have been if you had started with him earlier. Now is the best time to begin.

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I will follow Jesus.

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Our Father, show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Amen.