Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29).
Anyone with multiple kids knows that it's not unusual for a second or third child to do something earlier than their older sibling did. It's not always the case, but it does occur. One of the reasons this happens is probably because younger siblings have a shorter learning curve. They can usually learn how to do something by watching.
I've noticed it in our two boys. Micah (2) is attempting things that Asher (6) didn't try until much later. Micah seems to be more adventurous. Case in point: One day recently Micah started calling out to me from the boys' room. I walked in to find Micah perched like a gargoyle on the top bunk of his and Asher's bed. As soon as he saw me, Micah started barking out orders, "You move that chair over here."
At this point, a smarter person might have anticipated what chain of events was being set in motion. I didn't. Instead, I asked Micah why as I slid the overstuffed red chair toward the bed. Micah didn't bother to tell me. Instead, as soon as the chair was in range, he simply turned and let himself go into a free fall. I yelped. Micah went into a midair seated position, and executed a flawless landing in the chair.
Later that day I was telling Rachel about it. She wasn't surprised by Micah's acrobatics. Apparently, he's been watching his older brother, who, instead of just falling, flings himself off the top bunk like a flying squirrel and lands with a "thunk" in one of the chairs half way across the room. I think it's safe to say that Asher never would have tried that at age two. I also won't be surprised if Micah is our first trip to the ER. Who knows what Ruthie will be trying by the time she's two.
All of our lives, we will learn by watching. If you explain something to me, I might eventually get it. But I'll learn much more quickly if I watch you do it.
And that right there is what it means to be a disciple. A disciple is someone who learns by watching. We see it in those who follow Jesus throughout his 3 year ministry. They learn by watching him, and then they try it themselves. That's why Jesus' primary call to His followers has less to do with belief and more to do with following. (See that verse on the top of this article.)
This morning we're going to start learning from Jesus. We're going to be changed by watching him and, hopefully by learning to act as he acts. We're going to learn what it means to "love God" by watching Jesus' relationship with "the Father." I hope that you learn something today. I hope that it helps you go a little deeper in your relationship with a God who loves you very much.
Anyone with multiple kids knows that it's not unusual for a second or third child to do something earlier than their older sibling did. It's not always the case, but it does occur. One of the reasons this happens is probably because younger siblings have a shorter learning curve. They can usually learn how to do something by watching.
I've noticed it in our two boys. Micah (2) is attempting things that Asher (6) didn't try until much later. Micah seems to be more adventurous. Case in point: One day recently Micah started calling out to me from the boys' room. I walked in to find Micah perched like a gargoyle on the top bunk of his and Asher's bed. As soon as he saw me, Micah started barking out orders, "You move that chair over here."
At this point, a smarter person might have anticipated what chain of events was being set in motion. I didn't. Instead, I asked Micah why as I slid the overstuffed red chair toward the bed. Micah didn't bother to tell me. Instead, as soon as the chair was in range, he simply turned and let himself go into a free fall. I yelped. Micah went into a midair seated position, and executed a flawless landing in the chair.
Later that day I was telling Rachel about it. She wasn't surprised by Micah's acrobatics. Apparently, he's been watching his older brother, who, instead of just falling, flings himself off the top bunk like a flying squirrel and lands with a "thunk" in one of the chairs half way across the room. I think it's safe to say that Asher never would have tried that at age two. I also won't be surprised if Micah is our first trip to the ER. Who knows what Ruthie will be trying by the time she's two.
All of our lives, we will learn by watching. If you explain something to me, I might eventually get it. But I'll learn much more quickly if I watch you do it.
And that right there is what it means to be a disciple. A disciple is someone who learns by watching. We see it in those who follow Jesus throughout his 3 year ministry. They learn by watching him, and then they try it themselves. That's why Jesus' primary call to His followers has less to do with belief and more to do with following. (See that verse on the top of this article.)
This morning we're going to start learning from Jesus. We're going to be changed by watching him and, hopefully by learning to act as he acts. We're going to learn what it means to "love God" by watching Jesus' relationship with "the Father." I hope that you learn something today. I hope that it helps you go a little deeper in your relationship with a God who loves you very much.