Discipling our children can look just like what Jesus did with His disciples. Instead of saying, “repeat after me,” His invitation was, “Follow Me. Come and See.” The disciples’ lives were swept up in watching Jesus love and serve His Father. Watching Him tend to the needs of the sick. Watching Him stop for the oppressed. And when the disciples stopped Him- to ask questions, to get further explanations- He slowed down to shepherd them. He used stories to illuminate their minds to the Truth.
He didn’t just tell them what to do. He displayed to them how to preach, live in, walk in the power of and enjoy the Kingdom of God. And then He sent them out two by two, allowing them to practice, giving them room to make mistakes within the safety of His leadership.
And then, upon his death, resurrection and His Spirit descending upon them at Pentecost, He invited them into this Kingdom He’d been showing them all along. He commissions THEM to be the Lights! His example makes discipleship so clear!
How do we disciple our children? By living as unto the Lord in front of them. We say “follow me as I follow Christ.” We say “come and see as I love and serve my Master. Watch me praise Him in every circumstance. Watch me lay hands on the sick. Watch me repent over and over again when I fall short, and watch the joy that comes with being fully reconciled. Watch me tend to the needs of those the Lord sends me. Watch me forgive instead of keeping record. And hear me tell you over and over how none of this is possible without the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead living on the inside of me.
And when you have questions, I’ll tell you stories from Scripture that will illuminate your mind towards the Person of Christ. And when you’re in conflict, I’ll lean into it with you, highlighting just why you need Jesus to overcome this. And as we go, we will put His commands to practice, though you don’t even fully comprehend them yet. Don’t worry- I’ll be with you. Watch me abide in and follow my Bridegroom King, because of what He has invited me into. And once you’ve seen all you need to see, now ENTER INTO His Kingdom for yourself. This is the beauty of a “come and see” life, of making disciples of our children.
I used to ask myself, “should I disciple them as if they’re saved,” or should I hold back until I know they’re following Jesus themselves? Once I got the revelation of how Jesus taught His disciples, it all made sense. Hold nothing back. Share it all. Stir them up to receive salvation! I’m reminded of this passage, which has now become one of main Scriptures undergirding our homeschool:
2 Timothy 3:14–17
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Blessings, mama. May we be found faithful in this beautiful, holy work of raising up disciples of Jesus Christ.
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