Day 23 – Teen Devotion: The First Step Before You Start

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You’re old enough to be disappointed by people. You’re old enough to disciple people, which I talked about in the last devotion. If your disappointment in people is more controlling than your desire to help them, you will not be a good disciple-maker.

Read Rick’s 31-Day Devotions

• 31-Day Marriage Devotion
• 31-Day Parenting Devotion
• 31-Day Teen Devotion

How you think about others will determine the quality of the soul care you will provide. One of the most important keys to remember when it comes to discipleship is that all your disciple-making falls within a “speck fishing parameter.” Let me explain.

Jesus said it this way: You have the log in your eye; they have the speck in theirs (Matthew 7:3-5). This idea about the log and speck is an oft-repeated truth that can lose its significant force because of our familiarity with it. A helpful way for you to see if it has lost its practical relevance in your life is by answering a few biblically-based diagnostic questions. Here are three of those questions.

• Do you consider yourself better than the person who needs your input?
• Does your soul care to your family members have a “looking down on them” feel?
• Are you impatient toward those who have yet to arrive where you are or do not see things your way?

The person who believes he is a servant of all is in a better position to accomplish redemptive soul care initiatives in the lives of those who need to change.

Time to Reflect

1. Are you more controlled by God’s call to disciple others or by people’s actions toward you?
2. What specific way do you need to change as it pertains to the “log and speck” paradigm?

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).