Wushu Masters & Christian Rabbi's:

There is a fantastic range of similarities between how one trains to become a master in martial arts and how one grows in the attitude of Christ. In The Forbidden Kingdom, Jackie Chans wise but drunken character attempts to describe to his student where one must begin:

Like a cup overflowing with water, how can a man learn if he is already full of the knowledge he needs.

Like a cup being poured out, one must empty himself of what he thinks he knows and fill himself with actual knowledge.

Jesus and His dsiciples taught:

A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. [Luke 6:40]

In fact, if he is rooted and established in love, a love that surpasses all human understanding, he will be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Christlike. [Ephesians 3:14-19]

Isn’t it interesting that those who respond most often to Jesus’ call: the weary, the hurt, the sick, the poor, the stuck, etc – these come to Him with nothing. They come with open arms, teary-eyed, limping and breaking. Even those who are wealthy, who are healthy, comfortable and happy must come to Jesus with nothing in order to experience the filling of His Spirit, authentic response to His call.

The rich young ruler who came to Jesus with everything in his life already fulfilled? Jesus sent Him away with what challenge?…Why did he need Jesus if he were already full?

Jesus gave water to the Samaritan women who was hurting, spiritually blind but alert and very thirsty. She, a person humbled through the forthright truth and obvious compassion of Jesus, stood before Him with nothing, her entire life (in her own words) laid bare.

The student, before he can grow properly, must be properly emptied.

And the teacher, before he can teach, must accept his gift and be properly filled.