I Want To Be Like ...

A few years ago a major company had a series of popular ads with the catch phrase, "I want to be like Mike." The ads featured Michael Jordan. The idea was that if you want to be like Mike, one way you can is by using the product he endorses. This ad played off a major desire within each one of us to be like someone we admire or respect. When I was a kid I wanted to play baseball like Willie Mays or golf like Jack Nicklaus. I think everyone can relate to this kind of desire.

I believe that this desire to emulate someone else is from the Lord. He has built in us a desire to follow the example of someone else. The only question is, "Who will we follow?" That's where this crucial issue of discipling comes in. Discipling is basically one person leading and encouraging another person to follow the Lord. The Lord commanded us to make disciples and our example is a big part of the whole process. Part of the commission is to teach others to observe (or do) all that the Lord has commanded us. One vital and necessary way that we teach others to follow the Lord's commands is by practicing them ourselves.

Example was a big part of how Jesus trained His disciples. They had the opportunity to observe the Lord. As a result of them watching Him pray and realizing what an important place prayer had in His life prompted them to ask Him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1). After Jesus washed the disciples feet He told them this, "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you (John 13:15)." Clearly Jesus expected the disciples to learn from what He said to them and by the example He gave to them.

Paul was the same way. Paul was involved in discipling some important men in the early church, men like Luke, Timothy, and Titus. Paul constantly urged others to follow his example. The words of Paul found in 1 Corinthians 4:16 are common for him. He said, "I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me." Paul was committed to following the Lord and he encouraged others to follow the example he was setting. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 he said, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." That's the idea. This is not a comment on the perfection of Paul's life but more of the direction of his life and the affection of his heart. Paul loved the Lord and was following Him. You and I don't have to be perfect to disciple someone else, but we do need a genuine love for Him and a consistency in the direction of our lives.

Not only did Paul set the example for those he discipled but he encouraged them to be examples for others also. He said to Timothy, "Show yourself an example of those who believe (1 Timothy 4: 12)." To Titus, Paul said these similar words, "In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds (Titus 2:7)." The importance of example in ministry, especially the personal ministry of discipling cannot be over emphasized. If we want to encourage others to follow the Lord, we need to set a pattern for them.

This is where many parents fail in making disciples of their children. They tell their children to do one thing (either directly or through the teaching the children receive in church or school) and then the parents do something else. There is an inconsistentcy in their life that frustrates or exasperates their children. Parents can teach their children about the love and grace of God and then be harsh and ungracious with their children. Children can be taught about the holiness of God and then observe that their parents are not pursuing holiness. One way we don't pursue holiness is by not dealing with sin in our children's life or by dealing with it inconsistently.

Obviously discipling demands involvement. If people are to benefit from our example they have to be able to see it. We need to be involved with our children and we need to get involved with others that we would hope to disciple. We can get involved in a lot of things these days. We can even get involved in a lot of things at church. The extracurricular things keep us from getting involved in discipling. The church activities make us think we are doing what we should. Not necessarily. If you are not making disciples you are not fulfilling the great commission. Activity can't repalce obedience.

So here is my advise. Find someone and start to spend some time with them. Share meals with them. Study the Bible with them. Have them be involved with your family. Pray with them. Let them get to know you and you get to know them. As you do you can encourage them in their walk with the Lord and how that relates to their job, marriage, children, friends, church, etc. And as you do this, you will know the peace of God as you fulfill the ministry He has for you.

I wanted to be like Willie or Jack, but after I became a Christian I wanted to be like the godly men God brought into my life. There have been a long list of men who have had a part in discipling me. God has given me the joy of discipling others. What about you? Who do you want to be like? Is there anyone who wants to be like you?

Additional Note: Shortly after I wrote this post I went out to bring our trash bins back from the curb. We have bins on wheels which makes it easy to move them. We have a bin for yard trash, another bin for recycleables, and still another bin for all the other trash. The recycleable bin and the yard trash bin are smaller and so I attempted to roll them both at the same time. I pushed one and I pulled the other. It was difficult to push the one. It kept wanting to veer off the path and into trouble. Pulling the other one was easy. It follwed me wherever I wanted to go. Here's my point. In ministry it is easier to lead people than to push them. Yet, we often do the other. We tell people what they should do. We encourage them, exhort them, and even embarrass them in an effort to get them to grow or serve. How much better to disciple them and lead them in walking with and serving the Lord. This is the point I was making about the importance of example. Parents often push their children and get distressed when they go astray. We must lead them by means of our example. It is so much better to have others following us than it is for us to try and push them.