The Christian Life is a Learned Craft

When we speak of Christian living as a learned craft, we have a particular image in mind, that of an apprentice serving for years under the tutelage of a master. This is what my (Rich) grandfather did.

At the age of fourteen he became an apprentice baker in Austria. Over more than a decade he learned a way of life as a baker. Finally, he became a master baker. He learned to master his craft by living with others who knew much more about it and could do it far better than he could. This is how we learn the craft of soulful relationships.

Others must teach us how to forgive, how to pray, how to give, how to be patient and how to be merciful. Fundamentally what we must learn is how to surrender our souls in faith to the God in whose life we participate. We must learn true-self living by living with others who are ahead of us in the journey of faith. Learning to surrender is fundamental.

All the other characteristics of the Christian life emerge from this. True surrender is not resignation or a passive giving up on life. Surrender is a Spirit-empowered act of courage. It is the willingness to offer our lives to God and trust him with the outcome. It is giving our lives to God each day, recognizing our dependency on him. It is trusting God even when what we are living is dark and confusing and something we never thought we would have to live.