This postmodern catchy phrase is simply a clarion for understanding people. Nowadays nothing can be taken for granted. I’ve met people who live-in with a boy or a girl-friend, yet get upset and offended if such is referred to as a fiancé. Once I asked: what’s the difference? The answer was “we are not engaged.” Whoa! Determine the “Engagement” then!!!!
People tend to put a cart before the horse all the time, running ahead with doing things before understanding things. Perhaps it’s because physical, tangible, material is easier to perceive. Soul and spirit matters take time, and take another level of perception. They take a new set of eyes – mind to be open. It is common for people to ask immediately “What do you want me to do?” Seems to be a reasonable question.
Yet this is not what we should be asking first. Notice that “Jesus did not command His disciples to do this or that, he invited them to follow.” (EGW, Acts of the Apostles, 18) He invited them into relationship. Meeting Saul (future apostle Paul) on the road to Damascus Jesus did not tell him about the mission to the Gentiles. He simply invited Saul to get to know Him.
In the ancient times it meant “sitting at rabbi’s feet,” spending as much time as possible to learn everything. Same paragraph in the Acts of the Apostles ends with this sentence: “They (disciples) saw Him in every phase of life.” WOW! This one sentence expressed whole essence of discipleship: they were with Jesus not only during the formal teaching time of classes, but all the time: watching him handle money, sleeping, cooking, eating, bathing, doing laundry, conversing with people. The Talmud has a story about a disciple who snuck under his rabbi’s bed. When rabbi’s wife discovered him, the rabbi asked what his prize pupil was doing next to his slippers. The response was a classic: “This too is Torah (the Law)! And I need to learn!” The rabbinic blessing was “May you always be covered by the dust of your rabbi.” To follow meant to be so close that he dust kicked by teacher’s feet would cake your clothing and line your face.
Before attempting to do things – build the relationship, learn by following and observing. This method still stands today. Quite often people come into Church and want to do something immediately, getting distracted like Martha in the kitchen, busying themselves serving, and getting frustrated and angry, because it does not come naturally from relationships. Mind you Jesus does not approve laziness either. It is the order of priorities that matters. Invite Jesus into everything you do. Build a relationship with Him before doing anything. Refuse to go and do things, unless you know that He will do it with you.
Come and discover who Jesus is, not just in theory, reading about Him , but seek to enter a relationship with Him. As I thing about my church, My first vision is that each one of us would be in relationship with Jesus. Then we would not need someone telling us what to do. Jesus would reveal His Plan Himself to us.
Once Jesus told a man to do something first (Matthew 19:21) “go and sell what you have & ten come and follow me.” Note that selling things was not God’s Vision for the young man’s life. That doing needed to be done as a prerequisite for following. Vision begins with desire to follow Jesus. If you’ve got anything in your life that separates you from entering into complete relationship with Jesus – get rid of it, then follow Him, and only then you would be able to see what Plan He has for you.
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