It only takes one.  I do not disciple to millions, but to the one man or woman standing in front of me.  I cannot know how their experiences have effected their openness to the Gospel if I come prepared with some pre-constructed argument for the existence of God and the need for repentance and belief.  We have all been uniquely designed to serve some specific God initiated purpose.  To approach a uniquely designed person with a standardized monologue, aimed at soliciting some specific response ignores their preciousness while also dismissing the Holy Spirit from entering the conversation.  The Holy Spirit knows each of God’s children and is significantly more qualified in providing the right words, smile or Bible phrase perfectly targeting the unique requirements of each heart.  I would frankly rather trust the Holy Spirit than I would my own self.  I am a sinner, He has none.  I am worldly, He is Divine Spirit.  I have a reasonable grasp of scripture and a frail understanding of love.  He is the Spirit of Love and wrote scripture to prepare man for eternity with God.

People are such a blessing.  Their troubles astound me, in their pain they are precious.  They struggle so to be good or worthy or just plain important.  This world will give them fleeting glimpses of significance, but God provides them with purpose, place and reason.  The Lord keeps echoing John 3:16 in my head.  Reminding me that it is all about His great Love for “this world”.  We must remember that even those people that we find intolerable are loved by God.  May I be forgiven for ever pronouncing my own judgment, or hating, disparaging, ignoring or maligning one that God says is worthy of His love.  Let us be ever vigilante and mindful to remember the Lord’s admonishment of Peter about calling anything unholy that God has proclaimed Holy.

I am not the most brilliant man, but I am reasonably smart.  That simple fact does not make it easier for me to disciple but actually presents difficulties and barriers.  My intelligence provides obstacles to my surrender and reliance upon the Holy Spirit as guide.  Thanks be to God that He has sanctified me to the point where I now truly appreciate the assistance that the Holy Spirit provides in my ministry.  Many times He says things to people in a way that to which I am incapable, using me as the delivery system for His Holy Waters of Prayer and Words of encouragement.  Watching His Grace in motion and seeing the delight, joy and wonder on the faces and hearts of men and women provides me ample impetus to get out of His way.  I love hearing what He has to say to the beloved.  Thank you Lord for considering me useful in any fashion.  Praise You in Your Infinite Glory and Grace. Christ Jesus soon comes as the Lion of Judah to do battle and pronounce righteous judgment upon mankind.  Amen.