Driving home from work yesterday, I stopped in traffic behind a car that had an Ichthys symbol on the back. It is common to see the Ichthys, or “Jesus Fish,” symbol on vehicles as bumper stickers or magnets. Though it is not a symbol I have ever thought much about, nor one I have considered displaying, and not knowing its true origin, my mind was drawn to some of the stories that may have prompted someone at some time to make this a symbol of their faith. I am always grateful for things that remind me of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, greatly saddened to learn of the martyrdom of the one who prepared the way before him, John the Baptist, sought solitude in the desert and left on a ship.

“…when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.” (Matthew 14:13)

When Jesus saw this large gathering following him, he felt compassion for them and though he may have sought solitude he went among them and healed their sick. By the evening his disciples asked him to send the multitude away to buy food for themselves, yet Jesus replied, “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.” In other words, Jesus instructed his disciples to feed them. Their reply was that they had only “five loaves, and two fishes.”

18 He said, Bring them hither to me.

19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

And this miracle he performed on another occasion when “four thousand men, beside women and children” were fed, “and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.” Matthew 15:37.

On another occasion Jesus now having wrought the atonement, died, and resurrected appears to a few of his apostles. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John and two others were fishing and caught nothing all night, Jesus appears to them in the morning and instructs them to “Cast the net on the right side of the ship”

“They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.” John 21:6

These examples, among others, represent the invitation from Jesus to "follow me." He beckons us to do come with what we have: bring the few fish and loaves, try casting our nets, come with all our weaknesses, flaws, and imperfections, with a willingness to follow him. Then we can witness his ability to give us, in return, enough and more to fill baskets and bring our nets to the point of breaking. We offer what little we can, and he returns it in abundance. Why then, with so many examples, would we ever hesitate by thinking, “what do I have to offer?”

The invitation to follow the teachings of Jesus is a message that there is more for us in this life, there is a greater, more significant role to fill if we so choose. An opportunity to become more than we would by following our own path, giving in to our own fleeting desires.

It is as if he says, “come see what I can make of you, if you bring what you have and follow me.”