Disciple versus Believer: What’s in it for me?

When I was a child, I thought like a child but now that I am grown, I must be a man. There is a big difference between a disciple and a believer. All disciples are believers but not all believers are disciples. A disciple cannot live in the “what’s in it for me” mentality. This train of thought leads to selfish ambition, which prevents us from entering His Rest. A man with selfish ambition is not a man in Rest, and a disciple knows this life is for the Son not the self.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
1 Corinthians 13:11 ESV

Disciple and Believer

It’s always a good reminder that this life is not about my happiness. It’s not a free-for-all, get-all proposition. The Abundant Life is about His abundance and my fullness. Amassing is “a missing” of the point. As long as I go after this life motivated by selfish ambition, I will be robbed of my true life’s fulfillment. A disciple’s true motivation changes allegiance. It’s no longer about “What’s in it for me” and gaining for self but instead becomes “What’s in it for Jesus.”

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:26 ESV

A believer on the other hand can be different. One who is just a believer is usually always motivated for self. A believer finds a source for their life in the Life and community of Christ. But this is just a beginning not the destination. A “believer” is not the intended final resting place. A believer’s true call is to become a disciple—to live life for another. And it’s the disciple who leaves his childish ways of salvation alone and grows to the full maturity of a surrendered selfless life.

Disciple and Believer: What do I get?

All the advertisements out there geared at and with promises to the self-seeking demographic only lead away from actual gratification. “What’s in it for me” always hopes for abounding supply. Yet this pursuit merely uncovers a farce that keeps us scampering about, never finding. In this world here’s the order: Rest is the Life of Christ, peace is the Life of Christ, and contentment is in the Life of Christ. My fulfillment is only found in His pleasure and satisfaction, not the gaining of mine. And when I became a disciple, I found that this means my life is for Him, not ME. Oddly enough, it’s only when I lay down my pursuit for supply that I find the abundant Life I was scurrying about to acquire in the first place.