The disciples we’re raising

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are! (Matthew 23:15)

The Pharisees and scribes, needless to say, were terrible disciple-makers.

But Jesus’ words made me think, “What kind of disciples am I making? Of my daughter? Of the other people God has placed in my life?”

Do I ever put heavy loads on their shoulders that are hard to carry, and just tell them, “Good luck?”

Or are they people that know mercy as well as justice and faithfulness? (Matthew 23:23)

Do they see that mercy in me?

More importantly, do they know God’s mercy to them? Do they rest in that mercy? Do they rejoice in it?

And do they in turn show mercy to those around them?

Or are they constantly hard on themselves and just as hard on others?

Father, I want my daughter, my wife, and the people around me to see in me someone who is just and faithful.

But I also want them to see someone who is full of mercy. Who walks in your mercy and shows others that same mercy.

Help me to make disciples like that: disciples who know your mercy and show that same mercy to others.