Dear Disciple,
“A person may think their own ways are right, but YHWH weighs the heart.”
Proverbs 21:2
One of the fundamentals of discipleship to Jesus is the conviction that He is right about everything. It is also a fundamental assumption for disciples that, as I start out as His disciple, many or most of my ways of thinking, acting, and even feeling are at odds with His. The need to be transformed in every facet of my being is supposed to be a point of clear agreement from the outset.
This is why the language of “new birth” and being “born again” is so fitting. The language of dying to self, dying to sin, dying to the world, and being new creations is entirely proper because we acknowledge that the change we need to experience is that dramatic and that comprehensive. Something dies and something new is born.
As much as our Master changed in us when we first came to bow our knees to Him and embrace Him as saving Lord, there is so much change that needs to happen in us! And He is both willing and able to bring those changes about day by day in the process of discipleship. Will you give yourself to that process again today?
So then, we mustn’t go along with the world’s idea that each one’s personal feelings and opinions are sacred untouchables, not to be questioned or challenged. We mustn’t see the world as being full of subjective truths: “my truth”, “your truth”, and “their truths”. Jesus’ view of truth is the one we have vowed to pursue and uphold, not our own. Even if I think I’m right about something, and even if my conscience is clear about what I might be doing, I must always be open to the Word of my Master about it (see Proverbs 21:2 above). As our ancient brother Paul wrote:
“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” 1 Corinthians 4:4
We’re disciples, not masters, right? No matter how long I’ve thought or acted a certain way, it is fair game for my Master’s transforming process. No matter how many people in my culture, family, circle of friends, or even church community agree that my way of thinking or acting is fine and dandy, I am bound by oath to seek out and embrace my Master’s understanding of it. What kind of slave would I be if I didn’t?
What we’ve thought for years and decades makes sense to us. We wouldn’t have thought it for so long if it didn’t! But our thinking was terribly flawed under sin’s influence. Now we’re free to see things differently. We’re free to accept that Jesus is right about things even before we understand how He’s right. Having done that, we’ll learn more from Him until it makes perfect sense – until we can’t imagine thinking any other way. That’s the process we’ve entered into, Disciple. Submission that brings freedom. Trust that leads to true seeing. So hold loosely to your own viewpoint, mindset, and worldview. What is good in them, He will perfect. What is broken in them, He will make whole. And so you will become more and more the person He is making you to be.
Opening myself up to His truth – the truth – with you,
Ryan