Discipleship and Whiffle Ball
You know how it is. You've been spending a lot of time studying a certain topic and suddenly you start seeing it everywhere. I've been reading about, studying about, meditating on, praying for wisdom pertaining to and in every other way consumed with the idea of Discipleship lately. It first hit me while reading "Mere Discipleship" by Lee Camp that we, as Christians, just may not be doing everything our Lord expects of us. His footsteps are way over there...and we're way over here. But lately I see examples and metaphors all over the place.Teaching and discipling are alot alike. I do a great deal of modeling in front of my class. I work out problems and show them how they should do it. But if they don't want to learn, I could do cartwheels and jump up and down and nothing would make a difference. It's the old question of motivation. How do we get our kids to want what we have to offer? Grades just don't matter as much any more to many of them; unfortunate but true. The best motivators used to be (and still are in the best-case scenario) the students' parents. But on average, society has gone from "What do you mean, you got a B?!?" to "Just don't show me any D's or F's" to "Hey, it's all relative, go get us a couple of beers and then I'll take you to go see 'Wedding Crashers.'" Which is to say that it's pretty much up to those of us who stand in front of the classroom.
The number one motivator, hands down, is for your students to like you. That doesn't mean to be their best pal. But it does mean that respect is vital and it doesn't hurt to know a good joke or two. If they like you, they'll want to please you. At the very least, they'll pay attention to you. So why do we follow the examples of Jesus? Because we don't want to burn? Or because we want to please him? Because we trust him and know that he would never lead us astray. Because he knows what's best for us, as a father does for his child. Love is a terrific motivator.
Last night, James and I went outside and I pitched some whiffle balls to him. The last time we went out, a couple of weeks ago, he made contact once or twice. Last night, he hit every third pitch, and some of them he whacked pretty good. My brother has been playing with him too and he said that their last time together, James really started to put it together. It wasn't just me. But it was two people to whom he would actually listen. It was an activity he enjoyed. And he couldn't wait to show his mom how good he was getting. Of course, I told him it was all the corn he'd eaten for dinner. He's not a big fan of corn.
What are we willing to do for our Saviour? How badly do we want to please him? What are his reasons for wanting us to do as he did? What kind of disciples are we?
posted by Thurman8er @ 10:35 AM
1 Comments:
My biggest motivation by far is 1 John 3.1-3, that one day I will see God (or is it Jesus in the text?) and be transformed. I will be like him. Nothing motivates me more than that "glorious" thought.
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