Traveling the Dirty, Dusty Road To Follow Jesus

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It was my second trip to New Orleans. A bit different from the first. This time we were sleeping on the floor of a church gymnasium, instead of the nice hotel in the French Quarter. We weren’t seeing the typical tourist attractions and museums, but instead getting a glimpse of a different side of the city. We were there on a Habitat for Humanity build as a youth mission trip, working to restore an old barge-board house.

(Below are a few pictures of the barge board house and the one next door that was further along in its renovation.)

The house was over a hundred years old, built of the strong planks once used to build the barges that carried freight down the Mississippi River, but it had seen better days. It had survived a fire and was now leaning to one side. We worked all week under the hot summer sun, tearing out the ceiling to remove the fire-damaged portions (resulting in being covered in soot from head to toe!), framing the house to bring it square, and doing what else we could to progress the build for the family anxiously waiting for a new home. We ate lunch at a nearby soup kitchen, sitting side by side with the homeless. It was a week of dirt and sweat, stepping into new and uncomfortable places, meeting the needy face-to-face, learning new things about construction and ourselves.

I was reminded of this story last weekend as a group of us sat around trading mission trip stories. The stories of where we’ve served, the people we’ve met, the foods we’ve eaten, the work we’ve done, and most of all, the ways we’ve seen God show up in the most unexpected and amazing ways. These stories covered numerous countries and continents, missions of all varieties, yet they shared common threads. Each involved hard work, sweat, and dirt, and each required the participant to face something new and challenging, something beyond what they thought they could do.

Discipleship is a messy business; not for the faint of heart.

Discipleship is saying “yes” when Jesus says “follow me” and then following him along the dirty, dusty path into a new life.

Whether on the mission field or at home, following Jesus to become his disciple means stepping out onto the path behind Jesus and following where he leads. The path is often messy, requiring us to get our hands dirty in service, to step into the uncomfortable as we grow, and to take leaps of faith as we learn to trust.

* Discipleship is opening your heart, baring your soul to Jesus so he can heal all the broken parts, allowing him to fill it with his grace and mercy, and then expanding it as he overflows it with his love.

* Discipleship is stepping into your fears and sharing your story of redemption through Christ with someone else.

* Discipleship is to be on your knees in prayer, flat on your face, desperately seeking more of Jesus and more of his power in this world.

* Discipleship is getting your hands dirty, experiencing life with others and serving those in need, both in your community and beyond.

* Discipleship is trusting in God’s provision and the power of the Holy Spirit to equip you as you for new challenges, stepping into areas He calls you to, even when you feel unable or afraid.

To truly follow Jesus means we leave behind the comfort of the lives we know and follow Jesus down the dusty, dirty path into something unknown, but something he promises will be so much better.

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:28-20 NIV)

Following Jesus will look different for each of us. You may not find yourself covered in soot, eating red beans and rice in a New Orleans soup kitchen, but you will get your hands dirty in growing your faith. You will serve others and will meet the poor and oppressed. You will learn to rely on God and see His provision in the world around you. You will study the scriptures and learn God’s words, so you can draw upon them in your times of need and share them with others. You will step into new and uncomfortable situations, trusting the Holy Spirit to equip you. You will be stretched and will grow in ways you never thought possible. You will be changed and others will see the difference. You will meet a God bigger than this world and find that He is enough.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus asks. Will you say “yes” to stepping in behind him along that dirty, dusty road?

If you want to say “yes” to follow Jesus (even if you’re not yet sure, but want to learn more about what that might look like), I urge you to read Suzie Eller’s book, Come With Me. I got to meet Suzie and hear her speak her heart about this book and her passion is contagious. I loved this book and must have underlined and highlighted half of it!

{I did receive a free copy as part of her launch team, but I truly love and recommend it to you. The links here are affiliate links, so a small commission from any sales will go to sustain this blog.}