The Flowing Stream

After wandering through a dry, arid desert, you come upon a forested area. In addition to the shade, you find not one but two sources of water. The first is a bubbling stream of water flowing up from under ground and flowing into the distance. The other is a pool of algae-covered, stagnant water. Is there really any decision to be made between these two? Would anyone really choose the stagnant pool over the flowing stream? When it comes to water, the flowing water is where you find health. Stagnant water leads to illness if not death. The same is true for your soul.

Before He ascended to heaven, King Jesus left His followers with a command, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28.19-20). This command serves as the headwaters of a flowing stream that passes from one disciple of Jesus to the next. What Peter and John learned from Christ, they passed on to others who passed it on to others. This flowing stream of discipleship is where we find health both for one being discipled and the one discipling.

Unfortunately, there are times when the waters of the Christian faith stagnates. You see, when I refuse to invest in others and pass on to them what I have received, my soul becomes a pool of stagnant water. Nothing flows out, and soon nothing flows in either. The conditions are ripe for all kinds of disease and filth: pride, envy, jealousy, etc.

Here is the beauty of investing in others. You do not need to be some kind of super Christian to do it. You may only be a step or two ahead of someone else, but you can help them as they learn those steps. This will spur you on to keep learning, so that you can keep teaching — water in, water out. This is discipleship.

So I leave you with these questions:

Who are you discipling?

What specifically are you doing this week to help them know, love, and follow King Jesus?