Philippians 3:17 “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”
Dallas Willard highlights how mistaken we’ve become in thinking that information impartation is the best means of learning and discipleship: “It is a peculiarly modern notion that the aim of teaching is to bring people to know things that may have no effect at all on their lives. In our day learners usually think of themselves as containers of some sort, with a purely passive space to be filled by the information the teacher possesses and wishes to transfer – the ‘from jug to mug model’. The teacher is to fill in empty parts of the receptacle with ‘truth’ that may or may not later make some difference to the life of the one who has it. The teacher must get the information into them. We then ‘test’ the patients to see if they ‘got it’ by checking whether they can reproduce it in language rather than watching how they live.”
Jesus spent three years living out his message and modeling how to live for his disciples. Paul pursued the same strategy. He wrote: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Both wanted their disciples not only to be biblically literate, but biblically obedient. Spiritual maturity was gauged by application, not contemplation only.
Some questions to consider: are you a mug? If so, then stop! But presuming you want to be a model, do you know how to go about it? Do you have someone to mentor you and help you learn how to live as a disciple of Christ? Are you part of an intentional community of disciples and disciple-makers? If your answer is no, then do something about it today. Seek out like-minded people. It’s critical to your effectiveness.
Lord, help me identify both people to learn from and to invest in, so that I’m an effective model and disciple-maker for your glory. Amen!
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