GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
MARK 1:20
When Children Leave
Most often, when children leave the family nest, there is a time of sadness and readjustment. Following our first son’s graduation from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He had to be at the Kansas City, Missouri, recruiting office on Monday, so we decided that, as a family, we would drive the three hours or so to the city, spend the weekend visiting some of the city’s attractions, and leave him at the recruiting station Monday morning. That whole weekend, no one mentioned our son’s departure; it was a subject too hard to think about. Monday morning came. We dragged ourselves to the car, drove the few miles to the induction center, and loved on him, hugging and saying our goodbyes. I held his mother as he walked away because her legs would not support her. When the bus finally tore him away, there was the three-hour drive back home, with an empty seat in the car. It was hard, hard, hard.
That still-vivid memory came to mind as I studied St. Mark’s account of Jesus calling some of his early disciples. “And going on a little, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, and they were in the boat mending the nets. And then he called them. And leaving behind their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, they departed after him.” (1:19-20)
One writer suggested that Zebedee may have lived in Jerusalem, but his business was in Capernaum. Simon and Andrew may have been partners in his business; maybe they managed the business when Zebedee was not in the city. He was apparently wealthy enough to hire other employees, which none of the other writers mention. It is probable that the scene Mark described was no spur-of-the-moment event. It is likely that these men knew Jesus, talked with him, saw his ministry, and in the previous months, discussed joining him. When Jesus called them, they left their father, the employees, and the work, and went with him. It appears that Zebedee’s family had a close relationship, as the two sons were helping in his business. Nevertheless, the boys left. It did not matter that there may have been planning and preparation for this event; there was undoubtedly some sadness in the father’s heart. We remember that tugging in our hearts as we watched a son walk away.
The rest of the story: Our son served his enlistment, saved his money in the Army’s education program, came home, went to college, and later married his Sunday school sweetheart.
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