"Jesus saw a tax collector named levi sitting at the custom post. He said to him, "follow me." And leaving everything behind he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a banquet for him in his house..."
Levi was grateful for the call, grateful for the opportunity to follow, grateful for the benefits he received.
A word from St. Irenaeus
"Nor did the Lord need our service. He commanded us to follow him, but his was the gift of salvation. To follow the Savior is to share in salvation; to follow the light is to enjoy the light. Those who are in the light do not illuminate the light but are themselves illuminated and enlightened by the light. They add nothing to the light, rather, they are beneficiaries, for they are enlightened by the light...
The same is true of service to God: it adds nothing to God, nor does God need the service of man. Rather, he gives life and immortality and eternal glory to those who follow and serve him. He confers benefits on his servants in return for their service and on his followers in return for their loyalty, but he receives no benefit from them. He is rich, perfect, and in need of nothing...
The reason why God requires service from man is this: because he is good and merciful and desires to confer benefits on those who persevere in his service. In proportion to God's need of nothing is man's need for communion with God.
This is the glory of man: to persevere and remain in the service of God."
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