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Psalm 25:4-5 – Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (NIV)

Many years ago, my mom tried to teach a class how to knit. Ten others learned to knit from her, but I didn't. The reason for this is that everyone else, including my mom, was right-handed, and I was the only left-handed person in the class. One summer, my grandfather in England spent time helping me, and I did eventually learn to knit and crochet. Over the years, my mom has fixed many errors in my knitting, like dropped stitches, and she has rescued many a project that was tossed into the closet in frustration.

Recently, our roles were reversed. My mom was having difficulty with her crocheting, and she brought it over for me to look at. I got the yarn and crochet hook, read the pattern, and began to follow it along with the item in my hand. Soon, I was able to talk with my mom about how I did it, and we figured out where she had gone wrong. But since I am left-handed, she was not able to continue with the pattern from where I had left off. Somehow, it was too satisfying to unravel the work so that she could begin again as I watched!

Similarly, Jesus spent three years in ministry with His disciples, showing, sharing, teaching, and training them for what they were to do when He left. After the cross and resurrection, their lives were forever changed. We are also called to live a different life once we accept Jesus and are born again. For all of us, our mission and mandate are the same, to bring others into a relationship with Jesus for eternal life.

But there are some aspects of being brought to Jesus that are not transferable to others, just like some left-handed skills are not transferable to right-handed people. How we come to Jesus is unique to each of us. For some of us, this happens at a young age; for others it is later in life. For some it happens at a concert or a crusade, and for others, it's in a quiet place alone. Some are converted through friendship evangelism, others through television broadcasts, others through sitting in church for years, others through recovery from addictions. In the end, though, we all have the same thing in common: We need to recognize our sinful nature, to ask Jesus to come into our life, and to submit to His lordship in an obedient lifestyle. This is the part that is transferable; this is the part that we need to be equipped to explain to others.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)

1 Peter 3:15 – But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (NIV)

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You didn't create us to be alone, but rather to be in fellowship with one another. Thank You for the teachers in our lives. Continue to work in us, and through us to others. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Julie Bowles