dust

I want to be covered in the dust of my Rabbi. In ancient Israel a rabbi would walk from town to town teaching the people and providing insight into the Word of God. Each rabbi had a small pack of disciples who would literally follow in his footsteps and mimic his every move. Their goal in life was to become like their rabbi. They wanted to say what he said, go where he went and do what he did. They were on the heels of their rabbi all day, every day. And, by the end of each day, they were usually covered in the dust of their rabbi. Literally! It’s kind of an unpleasant and yet a beautiful depiction of how I want to be and live.

The English word that comes to mind is “obvious.” I want it to be obvious that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, my Rabbi. I don’t ever want people to wonder if I’m a Christian. I don’t want to leave room for any doubt. I never want to be half-hearted or lukewarm. I want to be a white-hot, passionate, dedicated and vigilant follower of God. When people see me, I want them to see Jesus. I want to say what He says, go where He goes and do what He does. At the end of each day, I want to be covered in the dust of my Rabbi.

I know there’s a danger here. This kind of attitude can quickly morph into a “holier-than-thou” kind of perception where people think that one person is better or more spiritual than another. My passion will probably be mistaken for pride. My dedication may be seen as over-the-top or impossible-to-reach. I know there is a danger in being misunderstood. But Jesus was misunderstood. Even His small pack of disciples didn’t really understand Him until after His death. And Jesus didn’t seem to mind the misunderstanding and wrong perceptions.

Today I dedicate myself anew. I don’t want to flirt with “the line.” I am not going to walk “the fence.” I don’t even want to know where the line is! I don’t want to be able to see the fence from where I am! I want to pursue my Rabbi and the things of God with such abandon that He is my entire focus. I want to love God and love others in a way that makes me seem weird and peculiar. Perhaps that would be a great sign of His dust!

Thank you, Rob Bell and the Nooma team for a fantastic resource!