Thursday, March 10, 2011

Getting Dirty in the Muddy Water


In a home group I am in we are reading Radical-Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream by David Platt. The first four chapters were. . .radical. By the fifth, though, we were getting to the part where we could begin to see the application of the material. The chapter was about Jesus’s relational model and making disciples. The most uncomfortable part for me was the fact that he “got dirty” with those he was discipling. He did what they did and went where they went. It reminded me of a John Eldredge term “we have to get into the muddy water with them”: the concept always gets to me.

I wonder, based on the conversations at home group, if we aren't already engaged in making disciples? From what I am hearing, most of us are engaged in looking for and acting upon opportunities. I'm not saying that it couldn't be deeper, or that we don't let opportunities slip through the cracks, but we are on the right path.

I remember studying Beth Moore's "Believing God". One of the daily activities was being intentional at recognizing God's hand in our lives. Being intentional really helped me see Him better. I wonder if being challenged to write down our acts of obedience or disciple making wouldn't make our group more intentional garnering us more encouragement to share weekly? So often when God presents a challenge to us he lets it be something easy to get out of. . .to sweep under the rug. . .to forget about. If we approached life more intentionally, I wonder if that little bit of accountability would produce more positive outcomes. . .and hence encouraging testimonies of the fruits of obedience.

During this season of lent when some sectors of religion encourage giving something up, I think, instead, I am going to try to be more available to opportunities. . .and to act on them quickly before the opportunity is lost or forgotten. I am going to record the encounter and the outcome to see the result of obedience. I am going to plant seeds and see if I can’t notice a little growth. . .if not in the others. . .than in myself.

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