School was different in Jesus’s time. You’d move out of your parents’ house and move in with your teacher (called the “rabbi”).

You’d also follow your teacher around—literally. There’s a funny saying about this; it’s something like, Students walk around in their rabbi’s dirt. That’s because students walked behind their teachers so closely that the dirt their teachers kicked up would settle on them!

You may be asking, What’s the point of all of this? As a student—a disciple—you didn’t want to just memorize facts. Nope. You wanted to become exactly like your teacher. That’s why the disciples left everything—including their families—to follow Jesus.

Jesus calls us to be His disciples too. So, listen to Him and obey what He says. By following in Jesus’s footsteps, you can walk in “God’s dirt”—becoming just like your Rabbi.

Jesus, help me walk in Your dirt—listening to what You say and loving others as You do. I want to become just like You! Please show me how.