Earlier this summer I went raspberry picking with my boys. Our family loves berry picking and this summer was the largest and best crop of raspberries that I have ever seen. As I was picking I got to thinking about how what I was doing was analogous to making disciples. Consider...
When picking raspberries:
When making disciples:
Lord, help us to remain faithful to your call to make disciples. Give us patience, endurance, creativity and opportunities. Amen
When picking raspberries:
- You have to wade into uncomfortable places. Thorns are everywhere. You can get hurt.
- You cannot pick berries without getting your hands dirty.
- So many of the best berries are just out of reach because of a wall of vegetation/thorns.
- It takes time. As I was picking...it was a slow process. I kept thinking, "There are so many ripe berries that I am not going to get to. I wish I could do this faster and get more berries before they go to waste. (I know, the birds need to eat too and the lost berries mean new plants for next year.)
When making disciples:
- You may have to go to uncomfortable places to find the people who need Jesus. Our Lord often waded into places we might feel uncomfortable go to to connect with the lost.
- If you are going to make an effort to make disciples. You will have to get your hands dirty. What I mean by this is that you will need to get involved in peoples lives. Show that you care when someone is suffering. You cannot make disciples from your easy chair (safe place) at least not usually.
- There are some people who YOU will not be able to reach. Perhaps they have built up a wall around themselves and you will not be able to break through. This does not mean that God cannot send someone else to reach them.
- Making disciples takes time. Even if someone accepts Christ as there Savior right before your eyes. The journey of discipleship is just beginning. They will need someone to invest time in them to help them grow and produce fruit.
Lord, help us to remain faithful to your call to make disciples. Give us patience, endurance, creativity and opportunities. Amen
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