I’m thinking about being a follower. It has never been my natural bent to follow anyone. I was born to lead. Looking back on my life I can see that in every circumstance I have been in-I have led, not followed. All circumstances that is, except one. When I became a Christian, I had to learn to follow. Jesus often said to his friends, “Come follow me.” Indeed, His disciples, as the name implies, became followers. In today’s culture, the name “Christian” is so diluted as to have little descriptive meaning. That is why many today are calling themselves, “Christ-followers,” rather than just Christians. It is not a bad idea if you can do it! I, for one, have had to learn to follow in His steps by taking baby steps. Following Jesus has been against my nature. It seems for most of us, our self-will is very strong and following another faithfully is a challenge. Often even when I want to follow, I’ll start leading-in spite of everything. Do you ever do that?
Being a Christ follower does not mean following a Christian crowd, or even another Christian leader. It means what the term implies-following Christ. There are times when following a mentor is very much like following Christ, the Apostle Paul said to the Thessalonian believers, “Be imitators of me.” So, if your mentor is following Christ, and you follow him, you are in a sense following Christ also.
However, God’s call to you “follow me” is always unique, individual, and like a custom made suit that only fits you.
Your task and mine is stop leading, stop trail blazing, hand it over, give it to Him and just follow! Even today He is calling us to “come follow me.” It is the voice of the Master inviting you to an adventure of faithful following down a road you’ve never walked, trusting the One who walks before you. The song writer said it better than I:
Take up your Cross and follow me I heard my Master say,
I gave my all to ransom thee,
Surrender your all today
Wherever He leads I’ll go, wherever He leads I’ll go
I’ll follow my Christ Who loves me so,
Wherever He leads I’ll go.
As for me and my house- I have decided to follow Jesus!
Barry
