Boot Camp

2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. 1 Sam 22:2

David needed to learn not only to lead the skilled, rich and successful, but also the poor,
distressed,
outcast.

David had cared for his father's flock, now he was learning to care for his own. He had to do this while he was in distress at the loss of his position, his friend, and his wife. Do you think that might have made him more empathetic towards his followers? God was giving him a chance to relate to the people He had entrusted David with.

These were the broken; not the warriors David was used to, but he became their captain.

He slept among them, ate with them, trained them, sang his psalms to them, and taught them, he lived life with them. He did this until this group was fit to serve along side of a king, to be warriors.

This is what it means "to go and make disciples", taking the broken, the distressed, the unqualified and training them to wear the armor fit to do battle for our King.

Somewhere, in my opinion, we lost sight of this.

Rarely do you see the called, the anointed leader leave the position and the ones he or she loves to serve the broken. Instead we strive to move up toward comfort, instead of the attitude of Christ, to make ourselves nothing.

Rarely do we share our lives with the people we lead. Oh, we share the Gospel on Sundays, but do we allow them to live close enough to us to see the Gospel lived out in our lives?

Rarely do we see discipleship as a way of life, to walk alongside them day by day. Instead, we put it in a 6 week program.

Rarely are we willing to get our hands dirty in the mess of people's lives. Do we truly stand in the gap for them; carry their mat; beg before God for their lives?

Rarely are we training them how to wear and what to do with the armor of God. Our armor shouldn't be polished and shiny, instead it should be dull and battle tested.

Somewhere we started counting butts, budgets, and baptisms, instead of raising up warriors for Christ!

11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
       KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Rev 19:11-16