Be Kind to Your Disciples

 

    Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

When we take a moment to observe leaders, we often see two kinds: Those

who use others to advance their own career, power, and authority and those

who build others up as they work together to achieve goals. In the world we

expect to find leaders who take advantage of those they supervise. But it is

always disheartening when we find abusive leaders in the Church. Yet, we have

to admit, some Christian leaders use people to get ahead rather than serving

them and building them as they give supervision.

Jesus warned us about such leaders. One day when he saw his own disciples

fighting for power, “Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the

rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise

authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great

among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your

slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to

give his life as a ransom for many.”

What could be more clear? Jesus expects his disciples to lead others the way he

led them. Jesus was a great teacher; he spent a lot of time teaching his

disciples. Jesus was a great organizer. He organized his own ministry and that

of his followers. Jesus demonstrated spiritual power by healing the sick and

casting out demons. But all of this was done with kindness. You remember the

words of Jesus. He said to his disciples some of the kindest words ever spoken,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you

rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in

heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden

is light.”

As disciple-makers, we call our disciples to live up to a high standard. We

expect them to repent of corrupt ways of living. We expect them to work hard

in their service to Christ and his Church. We expect them to forgive others

when they are offended. We expect our disciples to devote time to prayer,

fasting, and study of the word of God. We call our disciples to live up to a high

standard. But that does not mean that we should be harsh with them.

Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart.” Jesus gives rest for the souls of

his disciples.

What about you? Do your disciples know you as a kind man or a harsh man; a

kind woman or a harsh woman? When you call on your disciples to work hard,

do you also make sure that they have time to rest and recover? When you

correct the behavior of your disciples, do you also remember to give words of

encouragement and hope? You can be kind and still be a strong leader. You

can be kind and still achieve great things. The Holy Spirit wants to help you.

So, my word of encouragement today is “Walk in the Spirit; express the fruit of

kindness. Don’t lord it over you disciples, rather, serve them in kindness. As

you do so, God will be glorified, your disciples will be strengthened, and

together you will achieve great things.

This has been Multiply and I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this

encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Kindness