Yesterday I had kind of a neat reminder that God gave me regarding a model of discipleship.
One of the individuals I’ve been doing pastoral visits with is on a long road to recovery from many issues. With great joy, I realized a change had been taking place in this individual’s life.
When I first met them they were desperately in need of hearing the Truth. I listened with an attentive ear and brought them “living water” from the “well.” I spoke words of encouragement based on truths found in the Bible. I realized that as time was passing I was taking them “to the well” by showing them where the “water” was coming from: I would read directly from scripture to point out the truth. Eventually we progressed to where we both looked up scripture and now I could see we were drawing water from the well together. Well over the weekend the individual took the challenge to draw from the well on their own. They picked a shorter book from the New Testament and told me about the Truth they found . . . on their own!
There was a reaction of accomplishment and fear when I shared the well analogy with them. Accomplishment that they could see something they did on their own; fear that they thought I was indicating it was time for them to make a go of it alone.
Will I was quick to point out we all need to be in the word together and individually. Acts chapter 8 came to mind as I remember Phillip, lead by the Holy Spirit coming along side an Ethiopian who was reading scripture on his own. Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading and the Ethiopian relied, “How can I without someone to explain it to me.” (Acts 8:31).
We all need someone to help us understand scripture. The Holy Spirit is our most effective helper but it’s good to read scripture individually and together to share the gems of what we mine from them and to be able to talk about how they apply to us as “living water.”
There is still another stage in this person’s recovery to arrive at. I’m looking forward to the day when this individual is so excited about the change in their life they go running from the well to their friends and say, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (John 4:9) I’m looking forward to them sharing their story of how Jesus came into their life. I’m looking forward to this person taking water from the well and giving it to someone who needs Jesus in their life.
2 Timothy 2 1-2 says: 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
Do you have someone in your life that is in need of living waters?
Do you have someone who you meet at the well regularly to share scripture with?
Lord,
Thank you for the many people who have taught me scripture and who have challenged me to read and teach. Thanks for those who have written commentaries who I have never met and thank you for those who I have spent time along the journey of life with.
May I help someone help someone else go to the Well. Amen
Stay close to Jesus.
REG
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