The blind leading the blind
Jesus answered them, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’
Matthew 15:13-14
Discipleship is one of the most important aspects of Christianity. Without guidance from someone who has also experienced Christ, we are blind spiritually. If someone who is not disciplined tries to disciple someone else, it is like the blind leading the blind. Jesus warns us about this in this passage.
Earlier in the chapter, Jesus said to the crowd of people following him, “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth.” We usually think about what we consume that affects our bodies. If we eat too much food, we get overweight. If we drink too much, we become drunk and lose self-control. However, Jesus taught things from a different perspective.
What you say to someone and what you teach them is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than what you are taught by someone else. Here in the context of the passage, the Pharisees at the time believed themselves to be righteous keepers of God’s law. Jesus quickly pointed out to them that is not the case.
Jesus called them hypocrites for elevating human tradition to the level of godly doctrine. They became so focused on legalism that they missed the intent of God’s law. Because of that, they failed to take care of God’s people and lead them down the path of righteousness.
This is where discipleship comes in. We don’t want to be blind people leading other blind people. That sets up everyone for disaster. We are to spiritually open our eyes and see what God is doing in our lives so we can share it effectively with others. We need to show fellow believers the true way of honoring the Lord and keeping his commandments.
Discipleship includes baptism, reading the Bible, praying to the Lord, and fellowship with a godly community. Most importantly, we are to love and live like Jesus. We need to ask for forgiveness when we sin against him and get back to living a godly lifestyle. When you plant a seed, you don’t just walk away and hope it grows on its own. You have to water it, give it plenty of sunlight, fertilize it and take care of it until it can grow and produce fruit on its own. That’s what discipleship looks like.
This week, pray about how you can disciple others. Be a light to those around you and share the same love of Christ you experienced with others more effectively.