A Reason for Discipleship (Kansas Style)

Why follow Jesus every day? There is only one reason: nourishment!

Having said the only reason to follow Jesus is nourishment it now becomes my privilege to explain why. The normal analogy given for a time with Jesus described as intimate, enlightened, spiritually informed, etc. is that of a mountain top experience. We go to the mountaintop to meet Jesus much as Moses did in the book of Exodus, although anyone who has read Exodus knows Moses went up to meet God. We spend our requisite 40 days on the mountaintop or some appropriate amount of time sufficient to refresh, refill, or renew our soul. Then we begin the long trek downward until we reach the valley and we do fine in the Valley for a period of days; until the sun rises on a morning when the refreshment, refilling, or renewal of our soul is no longer perceived. We then begin to look longingly and reflectively at that time when our soul was fresh and full and refer to that time as a "mountaintop" experience. The analogy works fine for anyone who's ever traveled to the Western part of the United States or might be fortunate to live in or near the Appalachian mountain range. However, for those who live in the great Midwest plains the mountaintop analogy simply does not suffice.

A Kansas analogy for the same experience has been lived out in the period of the last 30 days. During the month of August Kansas received an over abundant amount of rain for this time of year. Consequently, grass needs mowing, mosquitoes are abundant, and gardens are producing plentiful amounts of green beans, squash, and other vegetables. However, in the last few days the typical August weather has returned, there has been no rain, and the grass is beginning to show the stress of heat. Where grass is nonexistent the ground is cracking because the soil has not received sufficient nourishment to counteract the heat.

Why follow Jesus everyday? There is only one reason: nourishment! When we follow Jesus day by day, look to Jesus for nourishment, and engage in those practices that put us in contact with the spirit of God, then our souls are refreshed, the fruit of our life is abundant, and the soil that provides nourishment, location, and the foundation for our life is moist and healthy. When we follow Jesus for a shorter time until our soul is refreshed, refilled, or renewed and then take a break, step aside, and seek no nourishment we find our soul to be dry, empty, or expired. Yet somehow we still think that we can produce fruit, spiritual fruit, when there is no nourishment  in our own life. Without further rain, spiritual rain,  the fruit of our life begins to wither on the vine.  Cracks begin to form in our foundation  allowing vermin  that for content to remain in the ground come forth seeking water, seeking food, seeking to be seen.  The nourishment of Jesus  transforms our soul in such a way that not only do we bear fruit but the vermin of our life are transformed, and redirected, in a mysterious fashion such that our lives in their totality bring glory to the transforming power of God.

New Beginnings

Today is a day of new beginnings. My wife's 22 kindergarten students will all assemble in her class for the very first time as they begin their 13 year stint in public education. I'm glad these 44 students in her school have Superhero teachers (they got special shirts that say so!) to start them out.  In a few hours freshmen and transfer students at Friends University will enter into the "Alumni Auditorium" as they begin their trek to becoming part of a larger group, those who have studied at Friends with friends and, hopefully, graduating in a few more years.

One friend celebrates a birthday, beginning a new day of life, while others unknown to me will begin a new period of life mourning the passing of a loved one.  New Beginnings, what an opportunity.

New beginnings are not only counted in special occasions of life, those transition markers that lead us into a social realization.  New beginnings are available in a myriad of ways.  For those like me who struggle with attempting to intake fewer calories than we burn in energy, each meal is a new beginning, each snack, each choice of a beverage is a new beginning. For those who, like me, attempt to write or blog each momentary pause from activity to allow their brain to formulate thoughts, words, paragraphs, and even sentences. is a new beginning of creation.

Most importantly, for each follower of Christ new beginnings are available daily; listening to the Spirit, praying for and with another person, 'gooddoing' actions that derive from God's leadership as opposed to "evildoing" that derive from the selfish center that battles for control.

What will be your new beginning?