Do you follow the One Word trend? I did for several years, but skipped last year. And I wasn’t planning to select a word this year either. And then, my word found me.
On Sunday morning. Fixing my hair while getting ready for church. Just an “ordinary” day. And a word pierced my consciousness.
DISCIPLINE.
But not with a sense of punishment or penalty or will-power. No this time, it was coupled with the word:
DISCIPLE.
Disciple as in “follower of Jesus.” I meditated on that for a while and did a bit of research.
According to Webster’s: “the root and meanings of discipline comes from discipulus, the Latin word for pupil, which also provided the source of the word disciple (albeit by way of a Late Latin sense-shift to ‘a follower of Jesus Christ in his lifetime’).”
DISCIPLINE and DISCIPLE come from the same root word – meaning pupil, learner, follower.
I tend to meander through life like a tumbleweed. So easily distracted, often letting circumstances and surroundings dictate my choices and actions. I know I need discipline, but trying in my own strength is (and has been) a sure prescription for failure.
However, being a follower of Christ, His pupil, letting Him lead and guide me into discipline rather than operating in my flesh’s will power – now that spoke to me in my deepest being.
Wikipedia may not be the most reliable sources, but I found this interesting – and true: “In Christianity, disciple primarily refers to a dedicated follower of Jesus. This term is found in the New Testament only in the Gospels and Acts. In the ancient world, a disciple is a follower or adherent of a teacher. It is not the same as being a student in the modern sense. A disciple in the ancient biblical world actively imitated both the life and teaching of the master. It was a deliberate apprenticeship which made the fully formed disciple a living copy of the master.” (emphasis mine)
Oh to be a fully formed disciple, a living copy of Jesus!
I don’t expect an overnight change. But I learned to be consistent when disciplining my young children, and so I trust that as I consistently heed Jesus throughout my day, day after day, His likeness will grow in me.
“I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” John 13:15
“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
Do you have a word for the year? Let’s talk about it! Leave your word in the comments.
ps – Previous one-words for me include: Now, Faithfulness, Obey, Purpose., Worship.
