Making Disciples... Of What?

A minister pointed out this morning that our job is to "go forth and make disciples." I've heard the same Scripture quoted in Catholic and Protestant churches alike.

Disciples of what?

Disciple: A follower or student of a teacher, leader or philosopher.

The Christian answer is "disciples of Jesus Christ." In fact, the online dictionary, the quote from above was the second entry listed. The first was "a personal follower of Jesus Christ, especially one of the twelve Apostles."

I've noted before the intellectual struggle to choose any one representation or written body of work regarding God over another - the Jewish, Christian or Muslim versions, among others.

Still, rightly or wrongly, I choose to believe in one God rather than many, one who's all-powerful and genderless, who made and directs creation, and so of whom we are followers. One who's blessed me with such gifts that I believe them to be given out of love. God's will, at times unexplainably painful for us, is justice.

I believe that our job is to live gratefully, and to add to the Earth's physical and emotional beauty. I think that would be pleasing to a loving creator.

"Making disciples" often comes with the directive to initiate conversation with others that will, eventually and with other ingredients, bring them around to the Christian way of thinking. I think this is a path, and possibly the correct path, to pleasing God. I suppose I take the risk of trying to lead others to God through actions, with faith that in time, as part of God's plan, my fellow people will follow suit, with or without a God-conversation ever taking place. Because I also believe that God is humble, averse to the many forms of physical being that could easily be taken to display superiority, or even existence.

If we already are disciples, hopefully we each realize and act upon the glory of what that can mean, extinguishing suffering with joy and fear with love to God's great delight.