Why I Follow Jesus

I am not ashamed to call myself a Christian.  Something that I’ve been realizing while I practice my hobby stand-up comedy is that there are a lot of people who do not like Christians, Christianity or church.  This honestly breaks my heart because my relationship with Jesus has been so important to me, and I go to the open-mic and I always here something that is anti-Christian.

I can’t be ashamed of Jesus because as cheesy as it sounds he is never ashamed of me.  Even when I’m a complete idiot he still loves me and desires the best for me, more that I do for myself.  He is not afraid to associate with me.

Let me explain with Peter.

Jesus calls Peter by going fishing with him.  Peter was a fisherman.  Peter was having a horrible morning of fishing and Jesus said, “Hey Peter, through your net on the other side of the boat.”  Peter’s thoughts were probably, “Hey dude, what do you know about fishing?  Aren’t you a carpenter?  Why don’t you go and build something and leave the fishing to the professionals.”  But Peter obliged Jesus and threw his net on the other side of the boat, and they caught a boat load (literally) of fish.

From that moment on Peter decided that following Jesus was the way to go.  Now Peter wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.  He was impulsive, sometimes reckless, didn’t think before he spoke, said he would never desert Jesus, but he did.  Jesus was crucified, Peter probably watched him die from a distance.

So what does Peter do?  He goes back to work to fishing.  Jesus was died, rose from the dead, appeared to the disciples, spoke to them, but what does Peter do?  He went back to fishing.  Maybe he felt like Jesus was disappointed with him, maybe Peter felt like he was out of favor.  So he goes back to what he knew.

While he was fishing someone yells from the shore, “Cast your net on the other side.”  I wonder if that story had spread, and Peter may have been sick of it.  I don’t know. But he throws the net on the other side, and what do you know, they catch a ton of fish.

Peter jumps out of the boat and swims to shore and there’s Jesus.  Jesus restores Peter, even thought Peter was ashamed of Jesus, Jesus was not ashamed of Peter.  I love that story.  Because I’m an idiot and I need Jesus because he’s not ashamed of me.  His grace is enough.

I follow Jesus simply because he sees more in me than I see in myself.  He believes in me when I don’t.  Am I embarrassed by some things some christians do?  yeah.  Am I ashamed of somethings churches do in the name of Jesus?  sadly, yes.  Kind of like a crazy uncle.  I love them because we are family, but I wouldn’t say the things they say.

I can’t speak for them and Jesus.  I can only speak for me and my relationship with Jesus.  And I know that Jesus is not ashamed of me.