THE GOSPELS RECORD SEVERAL INSTANCES when the Lord Jesus called people to be His followers. At times He called people to leave their homes and livelihoods and follow Him. He called Peter and Andrew, James and John as they were busy fishing “and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:22). Similarly Matthew walked away from his toll booth and followed Jesus (cf., Matthew 9:9); the other disciples whose calls are not recorded in the Gospels did the same. Sometimes the Lord called but was refused. The cost of following Jesus was more than some…