Choosing the 12 (Part 4) – With Him

Read Mk 3.13-19, Lk 6.12-16

And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach,
(Mark 3:14)

Jesus chose them to be with Him.

Life on life, that was Jesus’ strategy for developing these men as leaders. He wanted to get men so close they couldn’t miss His example. They were with Him 24/7. They saw Him in times of stress and times of rest. They watched how He ministered to the crowds and individuals. They saw the Son of God in all His glory and the Son of Man in His deepest humility. These 12 men were given a front row seat to the model of love. Jesus intentionally chose them to be saturated with His example.

The power of proximity. Most teachers tell their students what to do, Jesus showed His men how to do it. I have found that this principle, the “with him principle,” is one of the most effective tools in our kit bag and yet one of the most neglected. The lessons are so much clearer when they are seen in action. But what would keep us from practicing this principle. Certainly, our circumstances are not the same as Jesus. Jesus was not married, have kids, or have a job. With these three things alone, it makes it significantly harder to bring the disciples with you everywhere. But we can still practice the “with him principle” on a smaller scale. When I’m discipling men I have them spend time with me in different situations, especially when I’m ministering to others. But it’s not just ministry that I want to model for these men. It’s real life. They are in my home, riding with me to Home Depot, helping me fix the sink, watching me coach my sons, they are with me as much as my schedule allows. We are trying to live life together. In recent years we had the men that I am training live in the home. This has increased my ability to model 100 times.
But perhaps you are a beginner at the “with him principle” and moving dudes in your home seems a little radical. Where do you start? I try to get the guys around me at least 4 times a week. Here’s a practical list that will help you start small and increase as you go.

· Sit together in church
· Invite him to your small group Bible study
· Ask him to your home for dinner
· Schedule lunch or breakfast once a week
· Have him help you with routine chores
· Play together (sports, games, hunting, hobbies)
· Take him on a road trip
· Have him spend the weekend for concerted training
· Take a family vacation together
· Live in the same neighborhood
· Move him in your home

FJ73

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