Apprentice

Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of skilled crafts practitioners. We all are being trained to be a new generation of skilled Jesus followers. How do we best practice and train to be like Jesus?

"We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God's messenger. Accepting someone's help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing." Matthew 10:40-42

What makes us a true apprentice of Jesus - the smallest act of giving or receiving. Jesus says that by giving ourselves away and receiving from others we will not lose out on a thing. Many of us fear this at times. We think that if we give someting away - our money, our time, our energy, our things - that we will lose out on something in the future. Jesus reminds us here that that will not be the case. It is not the case because many of us refuse to also receive from others. We will not take others praise, or money, or allow someone to purchase that dinner for us, or give us something just because. When we do this - not receiving - we may be keeping someone else from receiving the blessing of giving. They may need to experience giving themselves away to be connected to God. They may be giving in order to say how thankful they are to God.

Give and receive in your life today. Allow God to work in both the giving and receiving of things. Be thankful for both the ability to give and the ability to give. Detach yourself from the things, the money, the time, and find out that they are not that important. What is important is the giving of your life and the receiving of life from others. This is being a true apprentice of Jesus and do not fear that you will lose a thing, instead know this -

"Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?" Matthew 16:26

Namaste'