"Come."

As I wrote yesterday, Jesus' greatest gifts to others were not particular acts of service or healing, but "the appearance of his life in the world, a life of utter dependence on the love of God, and his offer of that life to us." Not just being helped by him, but being invited and enabled to live our whole lives as he did. His gift is wrapped up in the two words he said again and again to those who came to him: "Follow me."

But following Jesus involves great risks, and calls for great faith. As I think of that, I wonder what it felt like for Jesus to invite others to walk the path he walked, knowing what it would cost them, knowing they were frail and would fall. I remember the story of Jesus walking on the water, when Peter asks to walk on the water too. Jesus replies, "Come." What did it take to say that one word? To encourage his friend to attempt the impossible, knowing Peter's weaknesses, perhaps even knowing he would almost drown? But that was, after all, what Jesus had come to offer: an impossible life like his. He was here to speak that word: "Come—follow me."

Similarly, the greatest gifts we his followers have to offer are not particular acts of assistance but the invitation and encouragement for others to enter Jesus' life as well. We become evidence of that life, and we point to the way to enter into it. And urge others to follow? Urge them to "sell all and follow," to risk everything and follow? I find that much harder to do than following Jesus myself. What if they—those I love, those who are already frail and suffering—risk everything and fail?

I suppose utter dependence on God also includes trusting him to reach out and catch others when they fall, just as we trust him to catch us. It just seems so much more difficult.