As Jesus invited diverse men and women to be his disciples, he continually modeled for them a counter-cultural way of life. Again and again, he stressed that they were not to look like the pagan world around them; neither were they to follow the pattern of the self-satisfied religious elite. Rather, their lives were to be conformed to the example He provided them. Essentials for Christ's disciples — attractive in all times and seasons — include humility, friendship, reliance, and grace.