Bible Passage: “‘Follow me,’ he told them, ‘and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.'” (Matthew 4:19-20 CSB)
Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:18-22
I was just a teenager, but Bill tapped me on the shoulder one day.
“Do you want to hang out sometime?”
I couldn’t believe it. Bill was in his 20s, owned his own car, and had a girlfriend. I couldn’t believe he wanted to hang out with someone like me.
Bill had an agenda. He wanted to help me grow in my walk with God. We would occasionally get together, drive around in his Honda Civic, and talk about life. We talked about my struggles, how Scripture applied to these struggles, and what Bill was learning about God.
It wasn’t fancy, and it changed my life.
It all began with a tap on the shoulder.
If you want to disciple others, that tap on the shoulder is an important part of the process.
Jesus modeled this in His ministry by choosing men who became His disciples. Paul instructed Timothy to strategically choose certain individuals who were faithful and able to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2).
I appreciate Paul’s clarity. Look for two things:
- Men who are already faithful.
- Men who have the potential to pass on what they receive.
I’ve found that it rarely works for me to approach someone and say, “Can I disciple you?”
What works is something much simpler.
It’s to prayerfully look around and ask God to show you who’s ready to grow.
Then, just ask, “Can we hang out sometime?”
Don’t make it a formal program. Do what Bill did with me: talk about life. Talk about what the Bible says about what we’re going through. And talk about what you’re learning about God.
Look around, ask God to give you wisdom, and then tap someone on the shoulder.
Prayer: Lord, help me to see men around me who are ready to grow. Amen.
Reflection: Who can you tap on the shoulder today?
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