Following Jesus (I): Shall We Dance?

Jesus leads, we follow. That's discipleship.


Man leads, lady follows. That's dancing.  Can we then compare discipleship to dancing? To Tango.

Intimate, passionate, glancing at and away from each other.  STRONG - STRONG beat, and a weak beat or two in between.  Accelerates and slows down. Kicks and turns and throws and draws.  In good leading hands, and the will to follow, they turn out to be breathless moments lasting a lifetime. 

All of these begin with an invitation to our partner: "Shall we dance?"

But the way Jesus extended his invitation to my friend, Xu, seemed unconventional to us. In fact, Jesus sent someone to attract him, teach him, before he himself danced a Tango of discipleship with Xu.

Me. No! You can't imagine. A dead figure, James O Fraser, the missionary to Lisu - minority people in south west Yunnan, China.   


My friend came from another minority group in Yunnan. He met me at the poolside 6 months ago here. As a new immigrant, he's proactive in introducing himself, talking about his career as a Kung Fu Master in University back home. But his focus would shift when I mentioned my faith.


Summer sun gone quickly. Worries of life and emotion kicked into my friend. Failed in driving exam, hardship in jumpstart his Kungfu career, cold and rainy weather, language and more... My friend could no longer sleep at night, sad and depressed. Wanting to go home.

It was in this circumstance that I handed him the biography of James O Fraser (JOF), the "Mountain Rain" - a book any missional follower shouldn't miss. I couldn't give him a Bible. He still shifted his focus. But "Mountain Rain" and JOF were irresistible to him. Because he came from the same place where JOF served and died. He practised Kungfu everyday in the mountain where he believed JOF was buried a generation ago. 

He was 100% curious and drawn. Two weeks later, he excitedly told me he finished reading. And he was reading now AGAIN. We always drank coffee in Starbuck. He kept telling me how he related all those places in the book, how he was amazed by JOF' sacrifice for the Lisu people group... He was very much following James O Fraser. Not exactly Jesus. He's admiring him and so much inspired by him. 

This very much differs from our "Bringing People To Christ 101."  Attracted by a Christian book is OK la. Some by "Wealth & Health" gospel.  But definitely not a missionary book - sacrifice, suffering, hardship for faith.

While James O Fraser still impacting my friend, Jesus showed up on the stage, whispered to my friend, "Shall we dance?"

My friend started to see miracle. A big one that he couldn't deny. 


He was a skillful driver in China standard. In Canada and for driving exam bar, he was just lousy and poor. He failed once already. Now their chinese driving licences were taken away by CIBC. They could no longer drive their car alone. Imagine the everyday inconveniences. This created pressure. The couple was desperate to pass this time. So I decided to drive him to N. Vancouver for driving test, to bless him.


On that day, we arrived an hour early for practicing. I now saw how he drove. I was shaking my head and sighed inside. "OH my God, how will he get passed. Impossible!" He broke almost all rules. And he himself knew it.


Test time. There he went. Here I sat. In the centre praying for him. His wife and his son was praying at home for him. Then he came back. I met his test officer(she) with him. She told me with the paper on hand, " I didn't decide to pass or to fail him yet. Did he learn from a coach here?" "Yes"(i didn't mention one lesson only!). "I will give him a bare pass. But he has to promise me to improve this...and that...!" "Yes Yes Yes...," We replied.

A huge relief for everyone. Everyone involved knew it's a miracle. My family prayed. Her wife and kid did. He himself prayed. Rarely had I heard of anything called "Barely Pass" in driving test. He now got one. He knew it's the gift of Jesus. And it was a gift from Jesus for him had I prayed in the center. Now Jesus opened the eyes of his heart that he could see miracle.

Then both he and his wife started reading Bible with us.

But the issue of returning to China or not created great schism among them. They couldn't talk about it without arguing. They wouldn't listen to each other. We showed them how to wait on God's will. But how much could they, as pre-believers, the not-yet-followers, understand?  "God, I didn't expect discipleship turn out to be marriage counselling!" I complaint to God.

We became close friend. Families mingled. Kids played. Our home always seemed open to him. He could show up anytime at our door. Coffee, numerous. Life, crossed and shared. Jesus was here among us. 

The way onto following Jesus wasn't easy for them. "STRONG-weak-STRONG" beat of faith. Quickens and slows down. But God's grace was powerful. And they were doing great. I formed an LTG with my friend, while Aden formed one with his wife. They read 30 chapters Bible a week. Their values began to change. They started to see God here and there.

The power of God's words and the Holy Spirit were just irresistible. Jesus was now leading, my friend was following. Beautiful things were happening. Amazing me. Amazing them.  

I'll leave their transformation, the exciting part, a week from now for Part II, Following Jesus(2): Two Grande Dark

But for the time being, slow down and listen... Jesus whispers to you, "Shall we dance?"

Will you follow?