The Highest Aspiration: Walking as a Faithful Disciple

The Highest Aspiration: Walking as a Faithful Disciple By Gary E. Shelton, CRP Director {PLEASE NOTE: With the introduction of our newer initiatives from the Christian Readiness Project (CRP), we also are adding a regular blog to our website. It will issue at least once or twice a week depending upon schedules of other events. It may also have comments on different schedules about real-time events. So, please look here often, and, THANK YOU for reading.} If you were to sit down with a blank piece of paper and write out your absolute highest goals for the rest of your life, what would be at the top of that list? The world tells us to aspire to comfort, financial security, popularity, or career success. Even in the church, it is easy to slip into a mindset where we treat our faith as a Sunday morning hobby rather than the driving force behind everything we do. But for a true believer in Jesus Christ, there is only one primary life aspiration that matters: faithful discipleship. Being a disciple means you are a follower, a learner, and someone who mimics the life of the Master. It is not a title you claim; it is a daily lifestyle you live out in full view of a watching world. The Standard for God's Managers To understand what faithful discipleship looks like on a practical level, we have to look at the concept of stewardship. A steward is simply someone who handles property or resources that belong to someone else. Everything we have has been loaned to us by the Creator. The Apostle Paul sets a very clear, unchangeable standard for this responsibility in First Corinthians chapter four, verse two: "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." Notice that God does not require us to be famous, immensely wealthy, or wildly successful by worldly standards. He requires us to be faithful with what He has already placed in our hands. When a sudden crisis, natural disaster, or societal shift occurs, a faithful disciple does not panic, because they have spent their quiet days learning how to manage their lives under the authority of the King. The Essentials of Faithful Discipleship How do we live out this aspiration every single day? At CRP, we constantly encourage believers to focus on the biblical stewardship of three core areas: - The Stewardship of Time: Every single day is a gift from God, and our minutes are limited. A faithful disciple does not waste their life away on trivial, worldly distractions. They intentionally use their time to study the Word of God, pray for guidance, protect their families, and check on the vulnerable people in their community. - The Stewardship of Talent: God has uniquely equipped you with specific skills, abilities, and experiences. You might be good with your hands, skilled at organization, or gifted at comforting people who are hurting. A disciple uses those skills to build up the local church and to execute practical home preparations that can save lives during an emergency. - The Stewardship of Treasure: Your money and material possessions are tools to be managed for the glory of God. Faithful discipleship means using your resources wisely. It means avoiding foolish debt, supporting the Gospel ministry, and storing up basic provisions so that you can feed your own household and have extra to share with a neighbor in a time of scarcity. A Daily Choice True discipleship is not a one-time decision, and it is certainly not a sermon to be listened to and forgotten. It is a daily, active walk. When we take care of our homes, manage our supplies, and strengthen our spiritual foundations, we are not doing it out of a spirit of fear. We are doing it because we want to be found trustworthy by the Lord who saved us. Let us examine our hearts today. Are we managing our time, our talents, and our treasures in a way that pleases the Master? Let us make faithful discipleship our highest goal, so that when the storms of this life hit, we can stand steady as a bold witness to the saving power and marvelous grace of Jesus Christ. Summary Statement: Faithful discipleship is the ultimate calling of a believer, achieved through the intentional daily stewardship of our time, talent, and treasure to honor God and protect our households.