Years ago a young man named Richard Branson was stranded at the airport.

He was in the Caribbean where there was only one flight a day to his destination. When the airline official told a long line of passengers their flight was cancelled, there was complaining and frustration. What most people did was rebook for tomorrow, then get a hotel for the night. But Branson was not like most people.

Instead, he walked across the terminal to the charter counter and asked how much it would cost to charter a plane to his destination. He then walked back to the long line of frustrated, shut out passengers, and held up a sign that said $39 to our destination. He packed the plane and even made some money. 

Not thinking like most people paid off.

This Sunday, when Jesus calls four disciples to drop their nets and follow him, they will do something most people would not think of doing. 

They will leave everything and follow him.

And yes, it will pay off.

Here we are reminded of the importance of defying the status quo - of doing things others would not.

After all, keeping things the way they are works fine for many of us. 

But not all of us - namely those who are homeless, hungry, enslaved, incarcerated, abused, or sick. 

Our status quo is broken, benefiting most those who need it least, and permitting far too many people to suffer.

These are the people Our Savior asked us to pay attention to.

And we must do what most people aren’t doing.

For the status quo to change, we must change. 

We have to do something different than we did yesterday - reassess a priority, challenge a habit, question a motive.

What aspect of the status quo is commanding our focus?

How are we called to defy it?

How are we not to think like most people?
How are we called to think more like Jesus?