"Every man leaves a lasting influence... that will affect future generations for centuries to come. But let's face it, not all legacies are the same. Some are productive, others are destructive. Some are illustrious, others are infamous... what kind of a legacy will you leave behind? A spiritual legacy is one that money can't buy and taxes can't take away, it is passing down to the next generation what matters most."
Steven J. Lawson

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Discipleship

It has been far too long since I blogged on here! Much has happened in the last several months, and some of it has caused me to put writing on hold for a period of thought and reflection and decision making. A couple of weeks ago, I watched the film Eat, Pray, Love on television, thinking that it would be a fun film to watch because of the great far away places it was filmed in. As I watched however, I became more and more disappointed at the main point of the film. Basically this woman divorced her husband(who still loved her and didn't want the divorce), and selfishly left her friends to "find herself" somewhere across the globe. Instead of facing her issues, and trying to save her marriage, she escaped, and hurt others in the process. She went in search of answers, of "higher truth", but went searching in all the wrong places.
Sadly, this seems to be the way our culture lives. I even bought into the romantic notion of tramping around the globe to have new experiences outside of the ordinary. This was before seeing the movie, and it struck me that as I rolled my eyes, that I had wanted to escape too; to make all my problems go away. There are so many people in this world who buy into this idea!
This is one of the biggest reasons why young men put off responsibility and want to stay a boy forever. Boys are staying boys longer and longer, girls get lost in their physical beauty or in finding security in a relationship. As a whole, our society is caught up with self- fulfillment and self-glorification, rather than living in service to others and to a mighty God who made them.
Christ calls us to something better, something much more glorious and beautiful: Discipleship. Discipleship to Christ, living a life in service to the King is our greatest calling. We are to live Godly, obedient lives in pursuit of holiness under the Triune God. Because Christ is the mediator; the one by whom we have access to the Father, is it not fitting that He calls us to follow after Him? Along the journey, He promises suffering and trial, but the way is joyful, and its end is eternal life. Let us both men and women fulfill our calling to live a life of discipleship, and to lead holy and righteous lives. Men, young men in particular, let us not be ashamed or apathetic to take up the reins of responsibility and leadership God designed for us. May we all say that we have been faithful disciples and stewards of that which God has entrusted to us.