We Become Like Who We Follow
I remember growing up and getting in trouble for doing something stupid my friends did. My mom would say, “If your friend jumped off a bridge would you do that too?” I’m silently giggling thinking about her. Moms say funny things. But she wasn’t far off in that response. We become like who we hang out with. She was saying to be careful not everyone does what is right or good. Thanks mom….
As a believer we are commanded to follow Christ, his teachings and his ways. But what exactly does that mean and how do we do it? I heard this phrase years ago and it always stuck with me; “Be covered in the dust of the Rabbi.” In Jesus day, disciples would walk behind their Rabbi, following him closely to learn his ways.
This idea of being covered in his dust meant that as you followed Him, he would kick up dust and you would get covered in it. It symbolized your commitment and zeal for leaning in and learning his ways. This concept teaches us the importance of following closely not just to be in the vicinity of Him, but close.
As Jesus chose his disciples, they would then leave their lives and follow him everywhere he went, it included living with him, eating with him, doing life with him as he did it. They were not only learning his teachings but how he did things.How he reacted to situations, how he treated people and how he worshipped.
Today as people come into the Kingdom, we have not taught them how to be disciples. They learn to come to church on Sundays, but not how to BE the Church; how to accept what Christ did for them but not how to BE like Him. “The idea of discipleship is that of imitation, to master his way of life, how he prayed, studied, taught, served the poor and lived out his relationship with God every day.” (Edward Sri, In the Dust of the Rabbi)
Luke 6:40 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” The question then becomes, am I like Jesus in how I live and act? I don’t know about you but I can answer that with a resounding no. Am I further down that road than I used to be, absolutely. But not where I want to be for sure.
Edward Sri continues, “A rabbi’s life was meant to be a living example of someone shaped by God’s Word. Disciples, therefore, studied not just the text of Scripture but also the “text” of the rabbi’s life. (2)
This is why Jesus didn’t simply invite his disciples to listen to his preaching in the synagogues. He said, “Come, follow me,” and basically invited them on a three-year camping trip, traveling from village to village throughout Galilee as he was preaching the Gospel of the kingdom.
Think about that: living with Jesus, day in and day out, for three years! How much his disciples would have been influenced by his example! They’d notice the way he woke up early to pray. They’d witness his compassion toward others. They’d be moved by his urgent need to go out to sinners and outcasts. They’d see miracles of healing and resurrection. They’d also witness how he taught the crowds, debated opponents, called people to repentance and offered them his mercy. Much of Jesus’ way of living would have “rubbed off” on his disciples.
Its more than going to church and believing a set of doctrines. It’s about daily seeking to be more like Him in our actions, thoughts, way of life, speech, and how we treat and love others. Discipleship is becoming…it’s a process we choose to walk through daily.