Milton

Milton and his wife Shelly have been active with Timothy Network since 2009. Both participated in the equipping phase of our work and are now discipling others. They’re pictured above with daughter, Evangeline. By asking “Who(se) are you?”, Milton points to the need for personal investment in those we’re trying to reach.

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.” Micah 7:18-20

That’s our God, in whose image we’re made, and into whom we are being transformed, every moment of every day, through the holy indwelling of his Spirit, the precious sprinkling of his Blood, and the wondrous outpouring of his Mercy and Grace. But we don’t really act like that all the time, do we?

When I first heard about the Timothy Network, I was a little skeptical and hesitant – resistant, even. I liked Deuteronomy 10:13 – “obedience!” far more than the verse before it – “love!”. How did I define disciple-making? Baptizing. Studying. Attending. And I think so many Christians feel the same way – that the Christian life is essentially two parts: a personal relationship with God, and a corporate worship service on Sundays and Wednesdays.

But as I began immersing myself in the life of a disciple, I saw how much I really was missing by only doing those two parts – namely, everything else! Personal relationships with others. Personal worship with others. Taking the time to personally invest in the people around us – those also made in God’s image – all of whom crave discipling, whether they realize it or not.

And as I read that passage of Micah, it struck me what all I had been ignoring. The God in that passage never stops seeking to enlarge his family – not just because he wants to be worshiped, but because he is loving. Merciful. Joyful. Compassionate. Faithful. And if we truly want to be like Him, we have to embody those traits, and that requires imitating he who made himself nothing, took the form of a servant, and lived to die for his brothers and disciples.