Grace and the Heart of Discipleship

Wednesday October 12 2011 8:46 AM
Will F. Johnston

My wife and I spent our first Christmas as a married couple at her parents house in southern California. One of the things that California has that Illinois—where we were living at the time—does not is decent card rooms. I fancy myself a bit of a poker player and was looking forward to checking one of them out while we were there.

One day I borrowed my father-in-law's truck and started heading south on I-5. I was zipping along at 70 mph, a bit nervous to play cards in an actual casino for the first time.

It was a rainy day in Los Angeles, as it often is that time of year, and as I sped along in the left lane I hit a pool of standing water and began to hydroplane. I let up off the gas, but it was too late. I spun backwards across four lanes of traffic before slamming into the concrete barrier along the right shoulder.

I was shaken and disoriented, but as best as I could tell I wasn't seriously hurt. By the grace of God I hadn't hit anyone else. After calming myself I called my in-laws. I explained that I was in a car accident and that I was okay but the truck wasn't drivable.

I already wasn't sure what my in-laws thought about their new poker-playing son-in-law. I mean, who is this guy who comes to town and the first thing he does is run off to gamble? And now he's wrecked our car?

But what happened next was nothing short of amazing. The only questions I was asked were, "Are you okay? Are you sure you're not hurt." "Where are you? We'll come get you."

That's it.

They called a tow truck and came and got me.

I didn't have a job at the time. I couldn't pay for the truck, and they didn't ask me to. They never expressed anger or commented about how irresponsible I was. Nothing.

Their response had a profound impact on me. At moments when my temper begins to flare because someone has done something to make my life more difficult I often remember that experience, and it shapes how I react.

And so we see here not only how an expression of grace to one person can beget grace in the lives of others, but we also find the heart of discipleship.

Discipleship isn't primarily a program or small group or one-on-one meeting or book discussion. The essence of discipleship is found in the simple phrase, "Follow me as I follow Christ."

Certainly you can be intentional with discipleship. You can read and discuss a book. You can coach and ask good questions. These are good things, but ultimately, far more will be caught than taught.

Rick and Patty Klein discipled me through their Christ-like actions without any plan or intention or formal discipling relationship.

Discipleship requires little more and nothing less than time spent together.


Will F. Johnston is the Small Group Catalyst at National Community Church in Washington DC.