with intention

Recently I have been reading up on the saint of the day. It is facinating the way that we humans praise and esteem those who do the work of discipleship. Is it "radical" to be a disciple even in most Christian circles? My friend pointed out to me this week that I probably don't get thanked at work for pouring someone coffee because it is the basic part of my job.... so why would I "do" my discipleship to be seen by men and applauded. More and more I am realizing that it is those back stage and unseen that are "doing" discipleship as a member of the kingdom... according to Matt. 6, I probably won't recieve status, position, or office by following kingdom norms.... i probably will never be really big.... the temptation as Nouwen writes in In the Name of Jesus is to be spectacular in the eyes of men... to be relevant/ important to someone or some inst. Christ rejected his share of earthly crowns in the way he lived... insignificance was not the enemy. He did not lust after power, position, or wealth.

Jesus sends us out to be shepherds, and Jesus promises a life in which we increasingly have to stretch out our hands and be led to places where we would rather not go. He asks us to move from a concern for relevance to a life of prayer, from worries about popularity to communal and mutual ministry, and from a leadership built on power to a leadeship in which we critically discern where God is leading us and our people. - Henri Nouwen