Soul CareSample

The Master And The Apprentice

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled to live out the lessons Jesus taught. I’ve never struggled to believe His messages, or to believe Jesus is who He says He is. I’ve just struggled to live His lessons. Growing up, I knew I shouldn’t steal, lie, gossip, or compare myself to others. I knew I should love my enemies, be patient, keep my thoughts pure, and so on. I just failed hopelessly.

Maybe you can relate. I reckon every follower of Jesus struggles with this. No matter how much knowledge we accumulate about Jesus, we still struggle to obey His teachings.

When I was at university, I worked parttime as a labourer and was introduced to the concept of apprenticeship. The goal of an apprentice is to become like the master tradesman he’s working for. Even as a parttime worker I found myself not only learning new skills but taking on the lifestyle choices of the guys I was working for.

This idea of apprenticeship – adopting the habits of your master – is an ancient concept that applies to your spiritual life too. In the first century, Jewish spiritual leaders were called rabbis, and the most famous rabbi of all was Jesus Christ. Most rabbis invited the very best students they could find to be their apprentices, but Jesus was different. His invitation was not reserved for the best of the best. It wasn’t then, and it isn’t now.

Matthew records how Jesus called hated tax collectors (like Matthew himself), uneducated fishermen, and others to follow Him. He was just looking for ordinary people willing to be with Him and learn from Him. An apprentice lived with the rabbi – eating, resting, travelling with him – and spending all that time with the master had a ripple effect on an apprentice’s life. He would become like the master and behave like the master. Same-same for us: if we spend all our time with Jesus, we’ll become like Jesus, and behave as He behaved. So, if we want to live out the lessons Jesus taught, we must adopt the lifestyle Jesus lived.

Thankfully, if you’re a follower of Jesus, He lives in you. So, it’s not about finding Jesus but rather being attentive to Him. Jesus said if you abide in Him – which is the keystone habit of being with Him – you’ll bear much fruit. Charles Duhigg defines a keystone habit as an operational routine which has a ripple effect in every area of your life. So, the fruit Jesus produces in your life will not just be knowing the lessons He taught but actually living them out, which will beautifully impact every area of your life.

Our culture is obsessed with externals, but the keystone habit of being with Jesus is all about your inner life. May you begin to consider not so much what you’re doing for God but rather how you’re caring for the garden of your soul by adopting the habits of the master gardener, Jesus.