Diskarte

    Upon doing one-to-one with people, leading a small group, or sharing lives with them do not be in the mood of being a doctor. A doctor analyzes and diagnoses the problem and comes up with a solution. Jesus is the solution and "our job is not to fix people but to love them."1 I am convinced that Jesus' summary of the greatest commandment is the most efficient way to disciple people. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.2 - Mark 12:31

    Have you ever experienced where you talk with a friend or a companion and started to pour out yourself to him/her? Then, all you need to have is a listening ear but he/she started to give unsolicited advice or solutions even if you are not asking for it. If you don't follow his/her voice, you would be condemned to be unteachable? As if the best advice or best possible way to deal with your problem is to follow his/her instruction, if you don't blame would always be because you are unteachable.

    It might be easy to come up with a list of people in your life who are like that friend. But what if, if you are the one who gives godly advice or guidance to someone you are mentoring or disciplining? Have you asked yourself if are you loving instead of giving them solutions or the best courses of action in life? We are not called to be all-knowing small group leaders nor coach every people we are going to encounter. As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul reminds us to consider others to be better than ourselves.

Footnotes:

1 Cunanan, Fer. Seedtime & Harvest: Blessed to be a blessing. Sermon at ENCM/S, Mississauga, ON, July 23, 2023'
2 Biblegateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2012%3A30-31&version=NIV (Accessed July 23, 2023')