“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NASB95)
And dwelt among us. Camping has never been one of my favorite things. Before my wife was promoted to Heaven, she used to say that her idea of camping was a lower-end motel! I heartily concur with her idea! One of the worst weeks of our lives together was camping in the Central Valley of California. Rainy and cold, we simply were uncomfortable most of the time.
I imagine that’s how Jesus felt when He came to earth. Compared to the Throne Room of God, ancient Israel must have felt similar to our camping experience. Primitive would be an understatement as Jesus grew up without technology, without indoor plumbing, without air conditioning and central heating. There were no “hot and cold” running servants for Him to command at a moment’s notice as with the angels in Heaven.
Yet, because of His great love for us, He not only became human, he chose to live among us, as primitive as we were, and remain gracious! His character stuck out in the crowd, around the table, or in a personal conversation.
Being a disciple of Jesus is all about those very things. We are called, not to grow big churches but to live life with others. Be about in their ups and downs, their celebrations and calamities, and the every-day-ness of their lives. We are called to dwell among them, to enjoy them, to encourage them and to point them to God’s path for their lives.
Dwelling with others is what discipleship – being a willing worker of and for Jesus – is all about. Life-on-life is what the Godhead is all about. Community. A simple word that seems so complex in today’s world. We choose to involve others in our lives and get involved in the lives of others. That’s our call. That’s Jesus Great Commission to us.
And, as we do, we give them grace. We don’t give them what they may deserve. We love them. All the while we are truthful, we never seek to be hurtful, always a loyal friend. Always caring. Gracious.
Train Them Thursdays seeks to wed the Great Commission directive of Jesus with the practice He employed while on Earth. Each nugget is meant to encourage the reader with a “can-do” spirit to realize that discipleship is something each person is both capable of and empowered to accomplish. Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, writes each thought and they flow out of decades of his tried and true field-testing in multiple settings from rural to inner city. He welcomes your comments below.
