What does it mean to disciple? I’ve been trying to figure that out.
On our first trip into Tumpa, I met Pillar. She is a little shy, but when we told her that we had come to tell people about Jesus, she ran inside to grab her Bible. She has some good questions, and listened intently as we shared. When we asked if she wanted to know the Lord, she said yes and joined us in a salvation prayer.
On my second visit into Tumpa, I met Danila. She was a little more outspoken and had more good questions. We answered her questions the best we could, and talked some about her family. When asked, she told us that she already has accepted Jesus. Then with tearful eyes, she shared her desire for her friends to know Him too. She asked us to come to her school and invite her friends to church on Sunday. So Kelly met her there later that day and invited them all to come.
Both Pillar and Danila are 14 years old, and they happen to be friends. I don’t believe it was any coincidence that God brought me to both of their houses. I had been working with the youth group at my church before leaving, but struggling to connect in any real way. God has given me a passion for youth and I desperately wanted to be a part of their lives but my own insecurities and false self-image always got in the way.
I have grown a lot since then, and am replacing those negative lies with God’s truth. I am being discipled by Christ. I am learning from Him and from His life.
I know God has placed these girls in my life for a reason. It is time for the disciplee to become the discipler. But what does that mean? What does that look like?
My natural thought is that we have to study the Word of God, and talk about deep things. I want to see results. I want a tangible plan with tangible results. But is that what Jesus did? Not really.
Jesus invited his followers to join in His life. He taught them by examples of life. He did not organize formal Bible studies or grill them on memory verses. He demonstrated His message by His life.
So, I ask myself, what does that mean for me and these girls? I have been visiting them, and we have good conversations sometimes, but I don’t feel like we are moving forward very much. They say they will come to Bible study, but they don’t show up. I want to see them get it, to see the lights come on. I want to see the change in their lives. I want to see fruit.
Frustrated and uncertain, I had to seek the Lord. I didn’t know where to go from here. Am I expecting too much, or am I not doing enough?
I felt like I needed to pull back and let them take some initiative, but God said to keep going. Instead of pulling back, challenge them more. Don’t wait for them to ask questions and lead the discussion. Instead, ask them the hard questions. Try to dig deeper.
I had this expectation of forming a girl’s study. When we starting meeting these teenage girls that already knew each other, I assumed a Bible study was what God wanted. I never actually asked.
I am learning to set aside my expectations and assumptions. Most of them are from my cultural experiences and do not apply outside the US. Formal group studies may not be practical here.
Jesus said the greatest commandment is love. If I love them, and share my life with them: have I not done as Jesus did?
