READING: Matthew 12:1-21, Mark 3, Luke 6
TEXTS AND APPLICATION: Jesus called 12 disciples in whom He invested Himself. They were an interesting bunch, actually. They often argued among themselves about who was the greatest. Some requested the best seats in God’s kingdom. Sometimes these men failed miserably, like when they could not cast a demon out of a boy. All of them said they’d die for Jesus, yet they all fled at His arrest. One would deny knowing Him. Another would betray Him.
Seems amazing that He would call them, doesn’t it? But, here’s what we learn in Luke 6: Jesus prayed all night long before calling these men. He sought the Father’s guidance, and the Father led Him to this crew. Jesus then called them to be with Him, to preach the Word, and to cast out demons.
Luke 6:12-13 During those days He went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. When daylight came, He summoned His disciples, and He chose 12 of them—He also named them apostles.
Mark 3:14-15 He also appointed 12—He also named them apostles—to be with Him, to send them out to preach, and to have authority to drive out demons.
The point for me is a word about mentoring and discipling. When we invest in others — and we must, I believe, as followers of Jesus — we must pray before we choose our mentees. God might, you see, call us to invest in a few knuckleheads. He might direct us to men who struggle. He might even call us to invest in someone who denies knowing us. Or even stabs us in the back.
But, still we must pray and follow His will, for God sees in others what we may not see in them. He sees what He plans to do rather than only what we see today. Mentoring thus becomes a faith commitment — a willingness to see others with the eyes of God.
Pray. Look around today. See if God is calling you to reach out to someone that surprises you. What that person becomes someday won’t surprise God.
ACTION STEPS: Do pray and look around today. Ask God to give you eyes to see what He sees in others. Surprise somebody with an expression of love and encouragement.
PRAYER: “God, I am grateful that You see in us what we cannot see in ourselves. You see what You plan to do. Help me to see the same in somebody else today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Matthew 5-7
