Discipleship is messy. I was reminded of that recently in my own life. The best laid plans don’t always work. One week something might run so smoothly and the next week be a complete disaster. It can be immensely frustrating because we want experiences and outcomes to be reproducible. People have made a living writing books on discipleship, boiling it down to its essence and core and much of it is very helpful. Nevertheless, sometimes (many times) systems, programs and projects fail because they can’t account for the uniqueness and individualism that is at the heart of a relationship. Discipleship is just that, a developing and growing relationship with our Savior.
I think that as parents (particularity the parents of high school students) this can be a common struggle. The pressure of decreasing time with your child in your home, the concern that stems from watching them deal with the struggles of adolescence and the reality of choices made and the choices yet to be made, make us long for the magic bullet or the perfect program. Well, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t exist and it can leave us frustrated.
What I was reminded of this week is simply that discipleship is messy. It looks different for every student because every student is different. What I have come to realize is that the important thing is to stay in the “deep mud”, where the authentic life is lived. Sometimes transformation happens in a moment and sometimes it takes a lifetime. Sometimes it happens according to the plan (although rarely) and sometimes it happens in the most unexpected fashion. There is more power for influence and discipleship by simply journeying with a student in the realness of life than there will ever be in a program. Be warned though, you will get dirty.