In the dust of His feet

The Hebrew word for disciples is "talmidim" and in Jesus' day, it was common for a group of talmidim to follow and learn from a rabbi. These disciples were usually in their teens when they began to follow a rabbi, and most of Jesus' disciples were probably fifteen years old or younger.

Being a disciple of Jesus-a talmid-was not a simple matter. It was a radical and life-changing commitment. Jesus' twelve talmidim ultimately followed in the footsteps of their rabbi: They changed the world, and most of them gave their life in the process.

In Jesus' day, gifted students would listen to various rabbis and then approach their chosen rabbi and ask, "May I follow you?" In effect, the student was asking, "Do I have what it takes to be like you?" The rabbi would either accept the student as a talmid or would encourage him to pursue a trade.

Jesus broke this pattern when he chose his own talmidim. As he asked his disciples to follow him, they knew without a doubt that their rabbi believed in them. And as they came to see Jesus as the Messiah, they realized that God believed in them too.

A talmid did not follow a rabbi as a student. They desired to gain the rabbi's knowledge, but for a greater goal-they wanted to become like the rabbi himself.

A talmid followed the rabbi everywhere-every day, and every hour of the day-often without knowing or asking where the rabbi was going. The talmid rarely left his rabbi's side for fear that he would miss a teachable moment. He watched the rabbi's every move, noting how he acted and thought about a variety of situations.

Talmidim trusted their rabbi completely. They were eager to hear the rabbi's teachings and they worked passionately to incorporate the rabbi's actions and words into their lives. The disciple's deepest desire was to follow his rabbi so closely that he would start to think and act like the rabbi himself.

Yeshua is our rabbi. Are we following Him closely enough for the dust of His feet to cover us?