“ He said to them “Come and see,” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day.”

Two of John the Baptist’s disciples followed Jesus after his baptism and stayed with him for one day. One of the two who followed was Andrew. He stayed with Jesus and brought along his brother. We all know about Andrew and his brother Peter, to talk anymore about them in this context would be old, hackneyed and boring. It is the other unnamed disciple of John the Baptist who apparently only followed Jesus for a day that intrigues me.

Many of us live on the edge of conversion, intrigued and enticed by Jesus. We sense that the message of Jesus speaks to something deeper then our own troubles and needs. We know that his work was always to reach beyond himself. It was as if he were constantly reaching over the line into the kingdom of God. Often it feels like he is dragging us over the border into the Kingdom of God, kicking and screaming. We come and see, but do we stay? We live on this edge of conversion because it is intriguing to consider what a difference his kingdom could make. We live on this border because it is enticing to consider what it would be like to live in a world where “ Every tear is wiped, …and sorrow and pain are no more.” We live on the intersection of a decision and wonder what must change or be given up to walk beyond the border into full faith?

Jesus gives us a clear answer: “Deny thyself and take up your cross and follow me.” Deny thyself – I had dinner at a pastor’s house way out south in the suburbs where the border of edge of conversion is more clearly drawn. What makes it distinct is the affluence, not that affluence itself defines on what side of the border you stand. What a magnificent house! It has a library bigger than my office, and a collection of theological works that I’d give my eyeteeth for. The spacious entrance has marble tiles; the living room with fire place is huge, a fully equipped state of the art new kitchen, a three car garage, workshop in the basement and a wine cellar filled with many fine French wines. I thought of my old house with cracks in the plaster, a leaky shower stall which leaks into the ceiling of the 1960’s vintage kitchen. Covet is a word that I understood as I drank his expensive wine and feasted myself on his trouble free, spacious and comfortable home.

While there I felt like something was wrong. What was wrong, I wondered? Was it wrong that this pastor lived in a new, expensive trouble free house in a particularly safe neighborhood? I knew instinctively that my coveting drove such judgment. I teased him about fleeing to the “burbs.” He responded, “It is good that you live in the city.” What did he mean by that, I silently wondered? As I ate the meal I realized what was wrong. Again, as happens frequently, God placed me at the border of full conversion to follow him. Have you been there, were Jesus is saying to you, “come and see?” And, again, I wondered on which side of the border I was standing? Was I standing on the side of following Jesus and indulging in a covetous look backward, or was I standing on that other side, the suburb just outside the City of God wondering if I dare cross over? Or just possibly, had I decided to follow for just one day like that unnamed disciple of John the Baptist?

Is it too costly to truly follow Jesus? Does it turn my world too much upside down? Does it require that I give more than I am ready? It is in situations like this that I understand why Jesus said, “Many are called but few are chosen.” It is also times like this that I understand that Jesus is calling us, but we have to choose to follow.

My son has action figure toys that he loves called transformers. They start of as rather ordinary things and become monsters. At the edge of conversion we are action figures that become transformers. The difference is that we start out as monsters and become saintly. The edge of conversion at the border of God’s Kingdom is defined by commitment. The commitment is the visa, the invitation to step over the boundary into another country. Amen.