4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
The thing that struck me the most in going through the first week was that we are each disciples. Believe it or not, this was a foreign concept to me. I had grown up hearing about the 12 disciples that followed Jesus and calling myself and others Christians, but disciples? Was I really a disciple?
Yes. I am. Maybe I'm falling into that evangelical demographic by doing so, but I'm starting to call myself a disciple of Christ and not simply a Christian. I think back to some of the classic literature I've read - being a gentleman was something you did and practiced, it wasn't a title lightly bestowed on everyone. Quite frequently now, the term gentleman is used to describe anyone with good manners, and not someone who truly practiced that style of life. The same has started to happen with the term Christian. People will say they're Christian, but do you truly live for Christ? Do you ache for those that are not following Christ? Do you keep Christ at the forethought of your decisions? Do you lean on him for everything - really EVERYTHING? Do you eat, breathe, and sleep for Christ? Do you bleed for him?
It's tough to go through that total and complete surrender. I'm still working on it. It's a huge leap of faith, and it's a huge commitment. You will be vulnerable and raw to open yourself up like this. Even if it's something you're working on, you're a disciple for Christ. You are a disciple. Just as the twelve who followed Jesus were unique and different from each other, we too are different and unique. We are disciples in different ways and in different stages of our walks with Christ. You are a disciple, just as those twelve were disciples.
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