““Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:36-39”
The GREATEST COMMANDMENT is our call as Christ followers (Christians) to disciple others. There are formal ways—using training materials to help us through a process of maturing in Christ and helping other to do the same—and there are informal ways, like getting a child’s Bible with a lot of pictures, and working through it together; making actions points on how to help others grow and following through in doing so. Quite frankly, I love this way most for situations like ours: special needs families with various levels of intellect and abilities to learn and serve.
Just like when preparing to travel, I use a children’s atlas and commentary on the place or country we’re studying in the Bible so I can get an overall look and understanding of the location and what to expect. With a child’s Bible, we can all comprehend things at a simpler level, to be able to assimilate what we learn by actively serving, sharing, teaching, and loving others in this process.
WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP? It’s action over study. It is:
Sharing what we know about Jesus
Helping others to learn about Jesus
Loving God and showing others how to love Him
Maturing in this process of knowing and serving
Serving by giving of ourselves, even when it isn’t easy to help others when they need it. Going out of our way to show His love, and in so doing, draw others to want to know Him
Teaching how to pray, serve, etc. to grow in our relationship with Him and others
Gaining the eternal perspective of God in control of my life, and that I will be with Him for all eternity, if I know Him and serve Him to the best of my ability, however that might look. Gaining God’s perspective over the temporary things that will not last—hardship, money, fame, material goods, etc.
It’s a relationship of caring, sharing, serving, loving, doing
Looking outward to others, not inward to our self
Factoring Jesus into every part of our life and being.
Photo credit: biblebuyingguide.com
COVID has allowed us to see many things differently: to plan differently, to think differently, to be frustrated differently, and so many other challenges and changes. Additionally, the pandemic has offered us some very tangible ways to watch God work. This past year has given us time to reach into the lives of others in tangible and lasting ways, if we are willing and available to do so.
Discipleship is not complicated or costly; but it takes time. It’s not difficult; but it takes effort.
And it’s not a program; it is a process. Processes take time, energy, and effort. What better time, being quarantined and secluded, to begin the process of getting discipled, discipling others, and repeating the process with others?
Dr. Joe and Cindi Ferrini share their newest book: Love All-Ways: Embracing Marriage Together on the Special Needs Journey (order at www.cindiferrini.com). They are authors, speakers, and bloggers for several blogging sites on marriage, family and special needs. They speak nationally for FamilyLife Weekend To Remember Marriage Get-a-Ways, authored Unexpected Journey – When Special Needs Change our Course, and have been interviewed on Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, Janet Parshall at “In the Market”, Chris Brooks of “Equipped” and various other radio and television venues. Connect with them at: www.cindiferrini.com, and via social media at: www.facebook.com/cindi.ferrini, www.facebook.com/UnexpectedJourney/ and www.facebook.com/MyMarriageMatters/.
