a Linguistic take on Discipleship

The world of our experience must be enormously simplified and generalized before it is possible to make a symbolic inventory of all our experiences of things and relations, and this inventory is imperative before we can convey ideas. -Edward Sapir

To put simply the words of Sapir, words are poor communicators. In the context of discipling and mentoring we have to remember that there is no substitute for bringing someone along side you as you live your life. I am all for meetings and conversations, but lets not make this a substitute for real life shared. To teach someone to obey Christ we much use our lives as the medium. We have to know that true discipleship true Christlike discipleship is about time and experience. This is why Jesus came. The prophets had been teaching about Jesus for hundreds of years but man did not truly know Jesus until he came to live with us.  

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. -John 1:14

The people we disciple/mentor need to see us about the work of God. We need to give them something to see. Something that they can model their lives after. This cannot be done over Skype or email. These are great ways to communicate but not the best. So, make yourself available to those who need you and your words. Yes, this takes time but it seems like this is how God planned it! Our example has to be complete. Our words explain our lives and our lives expound our words. May we never say, "do as I say, not as I do." My generation has had enough of that. We see through the lie. We have to say with Paul:

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. -I Cor 11:1

only then will our words have strength. Only then can we move the church out of the mire of hypocrisy. We know the words of Christ were true because his life proved their worth. Now, we are not Christ and we will fall, but we must get back up as we follow the example of Christ and show others how to return to the truths we teach.