Today I have been thinking about what it means to be a disciple and "disciple" others.
Jesus said "Go out and make disciples" but I am beginning to think that this is something best done on a small scale. I believe the idea is that we should make disciples one by one. In much the same way as Jesus healed individuals and brought the paraplegic, the blind man, the Samaritan woman to him by means of a one to one, face to face experience. For example, we should concentrate on making disciples one at a time by means of a sustained personal relationship.
We should follow Christ's example and "call out" to a person by name. We should commit to devoting time and patience to love that person, regardless of how different we may be or how difficult it might seem. It is important to spend time together, in conversation or sharing a meal or a hobby and take time to thrash out opinions on life. Communication on a deep level is necessary and we should not be worried about sharing our own hopes, dreams, aspirations with the one being discipled. There is a sense of opening up ourselves and becoming vulnerable in a reciprocal relationship.
We should nurture the image of God we see in each other, affirm the good and address the negative. Truly seek God together.