Follower: one who comes behind or after another; one who models or imitates.
Jesus repeats this same command over and over; “Come follow me.” I cannot find a single time He directed His disciples or anyone else to go lead. It has me thinking about how we engage our community and culture today. Are we trying to lead people to Jesus or are we following Him so well it draws others to Him?
Following often insinuates not knowing where one is going or how to get there, along with not knowing how to do something. Living life in a way that brings glory to God is not second nature to us, even after we confess our sin and turn to follow Jesus. Christ set the example we are to model or imitate. He came to show us how life is done. He left lots of examples and instructions during His time here on earth. It is in our best interest to be well acquainted with these, so we can follow well. Jesus tells us to be alert, to watch and listen carefully. There are so many things of which to take notice!
Following instructions can be quite a challenge. I think of the number times I have tried to help my children by giving them detailed directions. Often, success is not achieved. Frustration sets in when I physically help them and realize they didn’t listen closely to my instructions. I wonder if Jesus feels the same way when I listen to only part of his instructions and then assure Him I have it handled, only to realize that partial instructions are not what I needed. I missed some important steps in achieving what was before me. Listening is an important skill to learn as a follower.
Being watchful of people and circumstances around us provides understanding and clarity on how to engage our culture. When we watch, we notice more. Noticing small nuances like subtle responses, body language and how others behave can shed light on needs we can meet or avenues to reach hearts that would otherwise be overlooked. Sometimes we need to take time to watch before we enter a situation. This step allows us to observe and understand so much more than we could just barreling forward. Watching is another critical skill to develop as a follower.
Most days, life could be described as a trip through sludge; slowly fighting through all that grabs and fights to keep us down, and possibly, out of this game of life. So busy struggling to make it through, we could rarely be described as alert. Alert: quick to notice any unusual and potentially dangerous or difficult circumstances, vigilant, watchful, observant. We can find ourselves in the middle of a situation and wonder how we possibly ended up here. Our lack of alertness may be the primary reason. Being alert allows us to catch on to potential problems before they become real problems. Being alert is a vital skill to master as a follower.
I am no expert at following. I would often rather lead the way. However, Jesus has offered a better way by allowing me to “Come follow” Him. As I learn more about how to be a follower of Christ, I realize I need to listen more, watch carefully and most importantly, be alert to the problems and schemes circling me. By taking these steps, I hope my following closely draws others to Jesus. Ultimately, this is my heart’s desire…be near to Him and draw others near to Him.
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