Posts Tagged ‘discipleship’
Inconvenience
Posted on: 2016/06/23
Have you ever noticed, being a disciple of Jesus is inconvenient?
As a Jesus disciple, our focus is ideally, and continually, on others, seeking to do what is best for them. Figuring out what is best for others takes time and thought. Then actually doing it, may be even more difficult — either in terms of time or effort.
But all of that is inconvenient — but then, it’s not about us, is it?
The implications of discipleship
Posted on: 2008/10/03
My preoccupation with loving others the way Jesus loved me began many years ago, but it started small and just kept percolating until it boiled over.
A young friend asked me how I keep the focus on that issue.
I don’t claim any special revelations or special insights. I took note of the point many years ago — probably in my 20’s — but I successfully ignored its complete implications until only the last few years.
My wife and I are in our late 50’s, and partially as a result of our age, partially for other reasons, we mentor a number of individuals and couples in their 20’s and 30’s. We’re also active in the marriage ministry of the congregation where we worship.
What constantly grabs our attention is how many relationship issues are driven by one person not doing what the other person thinks he/she should be doing. That is, individually, we impose our view of things on what others should do. That’s a truly selfish point-of-view.
I’ve become personally convinced that self-centeredness is at the core of sin. That’s where we get off track.
Even in our view of salvation — because to convince myself that I’m right with God, I want you to see spiritual things exactly the same way I see them. That way, we can both be more confident that we’re okay with God.
But, God says we stand before him individually, not as a group. And when we stand before him, we’ll all be guilty. None of us deserve salvation. None of us has a right to salvation. But God loves us and forgives us. And that makes us okay with God.
My failures may be similar or different from yours, but either way, we’re both failures.
So, all I can do is try — try to love others the way Jesus loves me.
And I have to think about that everyday, with every person, in every situation. It’s really a complete pre-occupation.
Tags: discipleship
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