Discipleship via an Alarm Clock

Discipleship.


It's tough.  It requires time, commitment, and lots of patience - on the part of the discipler and the disciplee. (Pretty sure I just made up those words)


Recently, James baptized a teen boy at church.  This boy had faithfully attended MBC's VBSs in the past year but never got plugged into "normal" church.  This year he professed faith at VBS and asked to be baptized.  His parents are unchurched so James has been very intentional about trying to reach out to them.  They say they are supportive of his faith, but aren't interested in Jesus or the church for themselves.  The truth is, they are not supportive.  Support involves doing what it takes for a person to be successful in whatever it is you are supporting.  They refuse to wake him up on Sunday morning, feed him breakfast before church so he isn't hungry, or even attend his recent baptism.  It breaks my mama heart.


So yesterday, while at Wal-Mart buying some of H's remaining school supplies, we purchased this young man an alarm clock.  All in all, he's done a good job of being up and ready for church on Sunday mornings to catch the church van.  One Sunday, he even left his sleeping BFF in his bed and came to church without him which showed real maturity.  But he does miss some worship services because he's asleep and with no phone or clock in his possession, it's hard to just get up in time. He is a teenage boy, afterall, and it is summer read: no schedule.


Purchasing this alarm clock got me thinking about how we need to support each other in our discipleship walk.  Sometimes that support is great; requiring much from us.  Sometimes, it's a $5 alarm clock.  May we be the church - be people who see a need and fill that need so a fellow follower of Jesus can follow his or her very best.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but encouraging one another—
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25