Monday, February 18, 2013

About Definitions

To define a word may mean to defer to the dictionary or Roget's Thesaurus. To understand a word one needs to inhabit the word. Then and only then will the word appear in conversation—and depending upon the word only a few conversations.

And to write with the word elevates the connection between the writer and the word. Some words may never appear in my writing. I know the word, have a ready definition—yet, I am unsure of the placement within my sentence—or because the word, while acceptable as a crossword puzzle answer rarely fits seamlessly into my writing.

Someone who headed a church ministry asked, "What does discipleship mean? "

I need to unpack the word. My first response falls back on Bonhoeffer's book, The Cost of Discipleship.

He wrote that "...it is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith...in so doing we throw ourselves completely into the arms of God." But that doesn't fully define discipleship.

But then he writes: " We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God...We must not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God."

The Greek translation of discipleship means to be " a learner". If I am a disciple of a music teacher I plan to learn from that person and follow their teachings in order to become a better musician.

And to really learn I need to listen, to hear what is being taught—to let those teachings enter my very being, become part of me, and hopefully my outward life will reflect the teachings.

Bonhoeffer writes, "Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ."

Discipleship can't be a one time dip—it's a growing process.

It means responding in love—"Not hero worship, but intimacy..."

To define discipleship means I need to release my own definition and be open to a deeper, more internal understanding of discipleship.

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