Leading by example

I think that there is some worth in Benedict's Rule, after all, he said "As we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on in the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with inexpressible delights of love." However, their way of living this out seems a bit backwards. I completely understand (after class today) their need to withdraw from society and focus on what truly matters- following Christ- especially in the "world-ending" type times they were experiencing, but their way of life was only beneficial for themselves.    In the reading, the description of the abbot stood out to me, "Anyone who receives the name abbot is to lead his disciples by a twofold teaching: he must point out to them all that is good and holy more by example than by words, proposing the commandments of the Lord to receptive disciples with words, but demonstrating God's instructions to the stubborn and the dull by a living example." This is the very life that Christ lived on earth. He was a rabbi, and rabbis in those times were teachers who led by example. They took what they studied and put action to it; their transformation became the catalyst for others to recognize the good and follow by becoming disciples. However, there was very little opportunity for the abbot to demonstrate God's word to the stubborn and dull as a living example when he remained cloistered away from the ones needing instruction. The difficulty of becoming a monk was also outlined in our reading, which shows that one did not become a monk (or apparently a disciple) very easily. I greatly respect the discipline and self-sacrifice monks required of themselves, and I believe it did allow them to become more in tune with God. However, I think that there is a much more efficient way of making disciples. Let's take a lesson from their discipline and willingness to suffer and apply it as we go tell others about the hope that we have in Jesus!
commented on Tinsley's post