I was leaving a grocery store the other day, and observed a very sad thing.  There was a couple, in their late 50’s or early 60’s, and they were leaving the store.  She walked with a very pronounced limp…the kind that makes a person look almost like a penguin.  This made her very slow..and I mean very.  Her husband, however, looked to be pretty much in good health, and he pushed the buggy out the door at a normal pace, leaving her inside alone for a good minute and a half.  Thinking that he was going to pull the car up, I wasn’t overly concerned until I got outside behind her and realized that he was already at the car, putting the groceries in the trunk, and she was still a good 15 feet away.  By the time I got to my car and put my small load in the trunk, sat down, and cranked my car, she had finally reached their car and gotten in.

Now, there was no overt hostility between them, and they have probably lived with her walking that slow that they are used to it.  She might not even want him to walk with her.  But to an outsider, it looked sad.  Until the next day, when I went back to the eye doctor for a follow-up appointment from my most recent cataract surgery.  As I was escorted to this exam room, then another, then back to the waiting room, all I could see of the person escorting me was their back, approximately 3 feet in front of me!  And I as observed them with other patients, the routine was the same.  Always way ahead of the patient, walking rapidly, leaving no time for personal interaction.  Just go, go, go, and move ahead with the next task.  Now I have always followed nurses, etc in doctor’s offices, because they know where they are going and I don’t.  But never at this pace, and never with them so far ahead.  And believe me, the wait for the doctor was not a bit shorter because of all that speed!!  I realized that this had happened on all my previous visits as well.

So what’s the point?  It’s this..in both cases, I saw and/or felt the frustration of someone being left behind by someone who obviously had more important things to do.  And God spoke to me and told me that’s exactly what so many of us are doing today in the spiritual world.  As born again, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christians, we are charged with and hopefully committed to bringing others to Jesus, so that they can meet Him and have their lives changed by His power too.  And that’s really not hard to do, we’re just way behind in the priority we place on it.  What IS hard to do, however, is to be committed to the discipleship process with new believers.  VERY hard.  Winning people to the Lord takes effort, but many times we just plant seeds, water seeds, or sometimes even have the privilege of harvesting “plants”.   But discipling?  Totally different story!

I believe that God was showing me, TWICE, how it feels like in today’s church to be a new follower of Jesus, or somewhat new, or maybe a struggling follower.  Too many times it is an experience of loneliness, frustration, or failure.  Unfortunately, many of us (me included) are guilty of “tossing about” Scriptures or solutions to problems or crises that others are facing, without taking the time to really get to know what’s going on, and what help they need.  In other words, we are walking AHEAD of them…sometimes WAY ahead of them….and throwing good words back to them, or directing them a mile a minute…when what they REALLY need is for someone to slow down…way down…and actually walk BESIDE them.  You know, at their pace, asking questions, sharing feelings, reading the Word of God with them, praying with them.  Not rushing, or acting as if there are way too many other things in need of our attention.

I believe it is time for us to slow down, and remember that we are a family.  Not a perfect family, but still, a family.  And that family takes time.  Unity and perseverance in the fight against the enemy doesn’t happen overnight.  New followers need to be equipped, struggling ones need encouragement, and those who aren’t NEED to USE their spiritual gifts to minister!! So, next time you see someone rushing ahead of another person, or you feel you are being rushed yourself, let God speak to you, and remind you of your duty to simply SLOW DOWN.  He can work through us a lot better that way!