I desire that there would be 50 other people just like me running around on the earth! Does that sound arrogant? Self-promoting? A bit over the top? A few questions to consider…..

  1. Can you personally say that with conviction?
  2. Do you really want 50 people just like you running around?
  3. Why or why not?
  4. Is it even Ok to make that kind of statement?

 

For years, when I have asked that question to groups of people, many times I see people shaking their head NO! And then I hear some say quietly, “I have too many issues.” But isn’t that what we call making disciples? Isn’t discipleship having people follow us and do the things we do?

 

Jesus said in Matt 28:19-20 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. (NLT) It would be hard to teach someone I am discipling to obey things that I am not willing to walk in personally, wouldn’t it? I would call that living a double standard. Do what I say, but not what I do. It says I have a higher expectation on you than I have for myself. Humm, Not good!  

 

Paul says it this way on two separate occasions

  • I Cor 4:16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me
  • 1 Cor 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

 

In essence, Paul is saying follow me, do what I do and you will be a disciple of Jesus just like I am. The true test of my mindset in discipleship is, am I living a life that I would want someone else to have? My desire would be for them to experience what I experience in….

  • My marriage
  • My relationship with my kids
  • My attitude at work
  • My driving habits
  • My relationship with my neighbor
  • The complete package

If I cannot honestly say YES to all the above, I need to deal with the things in my life so that I can say YES!! We call that discipleship.

 

Let’s purpose to live our lives in such a way that we can say……

  • You want to be good with God, follow me and do what I do
  • This is how I handle potential offenses
  • This is how you have a successful marriage
  • This is how you develop strong relationships with your children
  • This is how you maintain integrity at the workplace
  • This is how you love life
  • This is how……….

 

So I can be secure in telling my spiritual children, and anyone else for that matter, to follow me, do what I do, learn from my mistakes, walk in submission to the Father the way I do, and not stop there, but even pass me in the deeper and greater things of God and you will continue to grow in your relationship with God! That isn’t arrogance! It displays a genuine desire to grow personally as well as see others grow in their relationship with Jesus.

 

Consider this: Why would I be content to live a life I wouldn’t wany anyone else to live?