The Heart of a Disciple Maker

I guess this post is for all the Christians out there. But anyone can read it as well =)
My pastor once told me that the Christian life is about being disciples and making disciples. 
                
                 Now, we know that God called us to go forth and preach the Good News. We know what we were called to do. All of us were called to a ministry of reconciliation. But yet again, I would like to ask you. Why do you want to make disciples? aside from the obvious answer. The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 16:7 "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” If all we do is focus on our religious activity then of course the Pharisees would have won the first prize for they were pious... on the outside. God sees the heart...so...

              Some of us when we share the Gospel, we may come of as condescending, " You do not believe in Jesus, you go to Hell!" (Example la) I mean, though bluntly speaking it is the truth, where is the wisdom and love in that statement. I mean, Jesus himself did not use that statement. His style of reaching out to people if you read the 4 Gospels is by first meeting the needs of the people. That is why with such attitude you get people leaving the church. Mahatma Gandhi had his famous quote on Christianity saying " I like your Christ but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Ouch! What are we doing wrong?
       
                 Our famous missionary Paul who was sent to preach to the gentiles (Not a Jew) put in this perspective of love in the book of Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Wow.... without love it is that bad huh....noisy gong? nothing? Even though I understand the Gospel and all the mysteries of the Bible having full knowledge of it and deep rooted in my faith....it is nothing if it is without love. Important to have the right theology and all but also needs love. It is not just about what you know, or what you think you know.

But then....we are humans. Sometimes the person is such an ass that you just can't possibly communicate with them yet alone love them. But it is God's command to love them. But then it would be out of obligation not much of love right? I mean, we know what we are suppose to do, share the gospel and all, but to people hard to love, I will be doing it only because I am called to do not because I want to. God wants us to minister out of joy having that pleasure. And the Bible just said without love I gain nothing. It needs to be empowered by love.... WHAT LA!

You do not need to be perfect to make disciples. Humans and perfection...don't really go well together. Bible also calls us to obey. Obedience is better than sacrifice. What I truly believe, if God has truly called us to love that difficult person, we obey him. Yes, initially it probably will be out of obligation, but I trust that in that obedience we will learn to love that individual =). Ultimately, it's all about being faithful to God's call to love the people around you. Love them enough to help them see the need to love and obey God. Showing them where salvation comes from

So let me ask again, Why do you want to make disciples? How much do you care about the people around you? As Christians yes we are called to make disciples but it demands your entire life. If you are not willing to make loving God and people as your highest priority then it is better to stop till you have resolved that issue.

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