the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. what if that one step is off the end of a short peer?
about a month ago i got a new chair for my office. rather than thinking it through, i purchased the cheapest office chair available. not realizing that a good part of every day would be spent in such a chair - i was nothing short of disappointed upon using said chair that next day. i skimped out on the most important aspect a chair: comfort.
but maybe comfort shouldn't always be priority #1 in my life. secondly, i had 100% faith that the chair would do what it was supposed to do, i.e. hold me up as i sat on it - yet i was not satisfied because i wasn't comfortable.
this past weekend, the theme of journey kept invading my soul, my heart + my mind. even as i write this, i am not entirely sure what that means, but i am running with the idea. i think at some level we are all on a journey. for those of us who follow The Way (the teachings and example of Christ) - our journey is one to the cross... a journey of sacrifice and service with a dab of humility and empathy mixed in. this makes our journey a bit uncomfortable. for others who do not yet follow The One, Jesus Christ - they are on a journey as well - a journey to find fulfillment and purpose and peace, love + understanding. so we all travel the road, walking beside each other, seeking + searching. Some follow the map - some wander astray. all of us are uncomfortable... except for those who have taken a rest or have settled or are content.
i heard a quote from an 80 year old man once. He was a lifelong follower of Jesus. He said "i'm committed to a long walk in the right direction." for me, i can't help but think that my long walk has just taken me off a short peer. like Peter - i struggle to have faith - not enough faith - you either have it or you don't. do i have the faith in Jesus - believing that He is who He says He is? Faith that He is the Way, Truth + Life - and the only one who gets me to the Father in heaven (John 14:6)... or is it more of a question of 'do i have enough faith in myself'- faith to walk like Jesus (1 John 2:6) - to be like Him, to live like Him, to lead + disciple others like Him? that is the faith question that is invading me along this new part of my journey.
there was a long process of becoming a Rabbi - back in Jesus' day. a certain number of tests and skills needed to be mastered before you could be taken on. when chosen, an apprentice of a Rabbi would follow their teacher - striving to learn all that there was to learn from that wise Rabbi whom they had been placed with - they would literally take on dust and dirt from the Rabbi leading them that their cloaks and tunics would be covered and stained. in order to be like the Rabbi and learn from the Rabbi you would have to get dirty. The journey of a disciple is much the same. Only the disciples of Jesus were the Rabbi Apprentice rejects. They were fisherman and tax collectors... men who had to take on their father's trade. Yet Jesus comes along and calls them. They were not equipped for the journey that was ahead of them. Jesus doesn't call the equipped though - he equips those he calls.
the journey of a disciple is dirty and long and difficult and uncomfortable. their first step was off a short peer. it was sink or swim. but it was that which was uncomfortable for them that made them prepared to face the persecution and (eventually) understand the signs and wonders of Christ. Jesus did not spoon feed. There was no milk from the breast - it was meat and potatoes. their journey with Jesus prepared them for kingdom greatness and glory (Acts 2)... and the glory went to God, not man.
i am now realizing that i am on a journey with Christ. on this journey new things are being revealed. new passions are being placed within my heart + mind. discipline + discipleship are the keys i have been handed. creativity is the tool. now its time to teach others and to invite them to journey with me. it's time to get dirty... to get wet... to get uncomfortable... again... and again... for the sake of Christ - so that others may experience His glory + love.
the JOURNEY is
discipline................+.............discipleship
cre8tivity is the tool.
"come with" - Jesus.
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