The Apprentice - AD

I have a confession to make - I like watching The Apprentice. I know it is a corny show, but I really enjoy the different tasks they are given to do. I love seeing the different ideas and considering what I would do if I was given the same tasks and deadlines. Some of the things they create are really neat and then some of it is just horrible. The things about the show that drive me nuts are how badly they treat each other when they feel threatened and how much they look up to "The Donald". The entire show is about pleasing Donald Trump at all cost so that you can become his next apprentice. There was even one episode where one girl was seeking wisdom from the Bible and another girl was mocking her for it and saying all she really needed was to study the stuff that Donald Trump had written.
It got me thinking about how that applies to Christianity. Discipleship is the same thing as The Apprentice. It is based on the idea that you would do whatever it takes to become like your teacher - in the case of faith, Jesus. In the time of Jesus, rabbis (teachers) would call together a group of men to study under them. It was a great honor to be selected as an apprentice. It was the apprentice's (disciple's) job to learn absolutely everything they could from their teacher and to become like them in every way. The apprentice was working at becoming just like his teacher. It wasn't a matter of merely considering their teaching, but learning how to apply it to their life.
Now, I don't think we see it the same way today. We are called to be disciples of Jesus which means we should be committed not only to learning all of the things that Jesus said and did, but applying them without hesitation in our lives. But modern day discipleship is hard to find in most of our lives. We talk about not having enough time to read or being too distracted to pray. We go to church when it fits our schedule and we make decisions based on our desires. I think modern day discipleship is missing all of the qualities that makes an apprentice an apprentice. And that means we will never become like our Lord and Savior unless we change something.
True discipleship would mean we take the teachings of Jesus and apply them based on their value and not based on our availability. We make ourselves 100% available when we become an apprentice of Jesus. We put his priorities in front of ours when we decide to sit at His feet. Now I'm not saying it is easy, but since when did anything really good in life come about easily. Can you imagine one of the apprentices telling the Donald, "But you don't understand, it's hard." Of course it is hard. The world has taken the easy road and it has led them to be corrupt and pain-filled and lonely. Jesus has talked about the hard way and it is filled with life and love and joy and peace and hope.
Here's to looking for a few people to apply for the newest reality show - Aprrenctice - A.D.