People Watching Discipleship ~ A Beautiful Pair

Do you watch people? Honestly? Are you willing to admit it? While at the mall or sitting in the park or waiting for church to start …. Are you a “people watcher”? I admit it. I am. I love to watch people. People are fascinating! I learn so much about myself, others, and my Maker when I watch people.

While wandering around Target the other day, I noticed 3 pairs of women caught up in conversations. The first pair was two women dressed in black and strolling a baby in a cart. The older was making her wealth of knowledge about … well, everything … known to the younger, who looked like she was in shock about all she was hearing about young motherhood, life, and … well, everything. I wasn’t TRYING to listen, but gal #1 made it hard not to hear her, and our shopping lists must’ve been in the same order.

Pair #2 consisted of one tall and rather elegant lady dressed in indigo blue, with a short silvery haircut and modern glasses. She was also sharing her wisdom rather openly, while standing at an intersection (no… IN the intersection) with a listening woman not a lot younger than she was. The listener was soaking in the info, only to stop the expert gal to ask, “When did you start using this approach in your life?” Lest you think I’m going to turn to spiritual things here, nay. (I rarely get to use the word “nay.”) They were all about supplements and exercise and food groups. I moved on.

I didn’t see Pair #3 until I was checking out with exciting things like paper towels and decongestant. I noticed them sitting at the snack area, with books and papers and a Bible laid out on the cafe table. One woman was about my age …. VERY youthful. 😉 She sat across from a lady WAY older than I am. Way. Anyway, I couldn’t hear their conversation. I would’ve moved closer, but then you’d think my people watching went too far. I noticed they seemed at ease with each other there in Target, comfortable. The older one referred to her Bible as they smiled and talked over what she pointed to.

It was beautiful. It was more than chattering about what WE think about life’s mundane things. It was more than spouting out what WE know about life’s many questions. It was a picture of two women discovering how God’s truth makes a difference in real life, shared from older to younger. It was a picture of discipleship. Discipleship is when God’s truth changes the way Jesus’ followers live life, and it happens one on one over God’s Word, in real life settings.

Have you been discipled? Do you know someone who has? If you have been walking with God, are you able to disciple a new believer in Jesus?

Three couples of women made of an older/younger pair. Three older ones sharing their perspectives on life. Three younger ones listening with anticipation. Three pairs in real life settings. One guiding another to be a disciple, a follower, of God …. and that’s something BEAUTIFUL to watch!