Reflections on discipleship

I've been very contemplative lately . . . it amazes me how quickly time is passing. My children are growing up right before my eyes, and if I'm not careful, I'll miss it. It's so easy to have misplaced priorities, placing importance on things that, in light of eternity, don't matter at all.

I've been challenged about the importance of discipleship -- my pastor-husband has been preaching about it at church the past two weeks and a conference I attended in May had discipleship as its main thrust.

In the midst of all that, the Holy Spirit reminded me that my primary disciples are the little ones that live under my roof, that I need to be PURPOSEFUL (there's that word again) in how I mentor them and help them to grow to follow Jesus. They need to be able to follow my example as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Like my husband said in his message yesterday, discipleship is often inconvenient. It is time-intensive and requires sacrifice. It isn't a one-time event or a class. It's not simply reading my kids a Bible story and making sure we pray before we eat. It's a lifestyle of pouring into them what God has poured into me.

It happens while we're sitting on the couch cuddling, driving in the car, grocery shopping, playing at the park . . . just going about life. As I PURPOSE to invest into them, my prayer is that they will be continually transformed by the power of God at work in their little lives. And as one of the conference speakers reminded me, transformed people will leave behind transformed places!

I read this poem today and it touched me -- probably because of all that God is speaking to me right now about the importance of really investing into my children. That happens by purposing to connect with them, valuing what's important to them and taking the time to really listen.

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less, and know to care more.

Id take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

I'd build self-esteem first, and the new house later.

I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.

I'd teach less about the love of power, and more about the power of love.

~~Diane Loomans