It was a beautiful Breckenridge morning, promising the best of Colorado spring skiing. The day dawned sunny and bright, but I stood frozen in my skis. As I surveyed the black diamond run in front of me, my heart pounded with all the “what if’s” I faced. My intermediate skiing skills were good enough, but now, on this day, my ski instructor friend was taking me far past the blue intermediate trails and on to the advanced black diamond slopes. As he bid me follow him, I looked over the ledge, terrified. The potential answers to my unspoken “what if’s” reverberated in equal and opposite directions. On the one hand, if I wiped out, I might be taken off the mountain in a stretcher, face weeks of recovery or even die. Yet, on the other hand, if I followed my instructor’s lead and braved the black diamond, I might have an exhilarating adventure and an amazing story to tell. As I considered both the negative and positive possibilities on that mountain top, my mind briefly flashed to the possibilities of another mountain top day in the Bible.
After His resurrection, Jesus told His disciples to join Him on a mountain near Galilee. Perhaps it was a sunny, bright and beautiful day when they encircled Him there and considered the black diamond life to which He was leading them. Jesus said:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20a).
Jesus called His followers to go beyond the basics and live lives of adventure and purpose for Him. He told them to go make disciples. His words on that day echo to us even today, sending us out to do all that He has for us, too. The call is huge, and the adventure is grand. Sometimes, though, I think we get stuck in the “what if’s” of His sending as much as I felt paralyzed in the “what if’s” on that Breckenridge mountain top.
The What If’s of Discipleship
The negative “what if’s” of Christ’s call to discipleship go something like this: What if we’re rejected? What if people think we’re crazy? What if our kids ignore us? What if our neighbors stereotype us?
And then, what if we don’t know what to say? What if we don’t know the whole Bible? What if we’ve only been believers for a short time? What if no one will listen?
What if? What if? What if?
Of course, all of these are definite possibilities and even realities. We might wipe out and have to be carried off the mountain.
And yet, the “what if’s” could also lead the opposite direction. What if we start talking about Jesus with those He has entrusted to us and they come to know Him better, too? Five years ago, I started an online ministry called “Family Disciple Me” to encourage and equip Christians to meet with God then make Him known to the next generation. We call this process “Seek Him Speak Him.” What if, because we “Seek Him Speak Him,” others begin to “Seek Him Speak Him” as well? What if we disciple the next generation and then they become disciple-makers too? Oh my!
Similar to my ski instructor friend on that sunny spring day, Jesus says to us, “Come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21, Mark 1:17). We get to choose if we’ll follow Him despite the negative and positive “what if’s” pounding in our hearts.
We can let the negative “what if’s” paralyze and stop us, or we can let the “what if’s” draw us onward, into trust and action with Him.
“Go, make disciples, baptize them, teach them what I’ve taught you,” Jesus speaks to us.
Lean into that relationship and tell them about Me. Talk to your neighbor about what’s happening in life, and don’t leave Me out of the conversation. Risk being politically incorrect and share what My Word says about salvation. Stop trying to be the “cool parent” and disciple the kids I’ve given you. When My Spirit whispers “Speak,” speak!
Hearts pounding, we look over the ledge and wonder what disasters might await us on this black diamond trail. We consider returning to the relative safety of the ski lift and letting it carry us back down to the bunny slopes.
And yet, Jesus is up here on the mountaintop, challenging us to risk the black diamonds and go into all the world, starting with our own families and friends. He does not send us alone, though. He is right beside us, for He promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).
Through every turn, over every mogul, past every tree and obstacle, near every cliff and past every drop off, Jesus promises to be our Guide, with us every moment when we go and disciple others in His Name.
This is the adventure of a lifetime: to meet with God and make Him known.
Past the “What If’s?” into Discipleship
That day on that Breckenridge mountain top, I decided to trust my instructor’s encouragement, lean into my skis and go with the adventure. I’ll never forget the thrill of doing more than I ever thought possible. To this day, I see slopes more clearly, race down hills more easily and conquer runs more courageously.
Yet, even more so – a million times ever more so – we can trust Jesus as He calls us onward, to “Seek Him Speak Him,” to “meet with God and make Him known.” Wherever He leads us will be the adventure of a lifetime.
Ready to hit the black diamond slopes with Jesus?
Let’s go!
Be encouraged! Tosha ❤️
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