Peter started to say to him, "Well, we have left all we had, and have followed you."     Jesus said, "I tell you, there is no one who has given up home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or land for me and for the good news, but will receive now in this life a hundred times as much."

(Mark 10:28-29)

Christ seems always

to have attracted people

with a reckless streak in them.

Zacchaeus

who climbed a tree

like a curious little boy

to catch a glimpse of Christ

not thinking of

the foolish image he was projecting;

Nicodemus

who put

his position and prestige in jeopardy

by coming to consult Christ;

The Apostles who

gave up their trade and

comfortable way of life

to be with Christ.

Take careful note of this,

that everyone of these men

was well rewarded for his gamble.

There must surely be times when

your decision

to follow Christ

appears to you

as brash and costly.

Then is the time

to think of

Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, Peter

and the rest

They too made a decision

that was risky,

yes,

but supereminently right and rich.