Peter, Andrew, James and John were in the middle of a typical day at work when Jesus offered them an invitation that would change their lives. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:17-18)

You can’t really follow Jesus without becoming more like him. Because these men were willing to become disciples of this rabbi, they began to see themselves, their neighbors and the whole world from a completely different point of view. Jesus placed his compassion for people in their hearts. His confidence in his Father inspired them to trust God wholeheartedly. Christ’s mission to throw open the doors of a new community, convinced them to invite others to join, especially the least, the lost, the last and the little.

If we spend enough time with Jesus, his character will become our character. Regardless of how greedy or arrogant or cold-hearted we may have been before we started out, as we follow him we’ll learn to think and act and love the same way that he does.

At Alexandria Industries, we strive to live and work as servant-leaders. We try to imitate Christ as the model par excellence of what a servant-leader should be. As we interact with customers and colleagues, we aspire to consider others more important than ourselves. Learning from a traditional business culture that historically celebrates individualism and fosters entitlement, our goal is to serve humbly and harmoniously together, building bridges rather than barriers. Every circumstance and relationship we experience has the potential to become a tool of transformation. Even when we stumble, our failures move us to try harder and better. Our aim is to correct our mistakes, learn from them and never repeat them. We’re discovering that what can appear to be a setback is likely to be God’s method for accomplishing his best work in our lives.

In John 12:26, Jesus said, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Many of us at Alexandria Industries are hoping to hear our Lord’s commendation one day, “Well done, good and faithful servants.” When we place Jesus at the center of our lives, we acknowledge that he never comes “next.” He is always first. If you decide to follow Christ, you will find that he has the power to transform everything…including you.

If we can assist you in any way, or if you would like to share a concern with our Prayer Team, feel free to email our Corporate Chaplain Randy Hansen or call him directly at (320) 762-7678.