How to Grow Spiritually, Part 2: Follow Me

When Jesus calls his disciples and says, “Come follow me,” he’s saying something that should cause us to question our typical western approach to acquiring knowledge.

Early Jewish writings describe the relationship between a rabbi and his disciples like this, “The disciple must cover himself in the dust of [the rabbi’s] feet.” In other words, the disciple would follow the rabbi so closely, they would literally be walking in the dust of his feet. And so, the saying developed, “May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.”

This literal experience of following closely becomes a metaphor for knowledge and spiritual growth.