Following The Leader

I am a teacher. I teach kindergarten. This past week, we had the first day of school. On the students' first day, I always give them a tour of the school building. I lead them around the hallways and show them the special places in the school that they need to be familiar with. One particular student was very excited as we were walking the tour. He kept getting out of line and trying to walk ahead. The problem was that he did not know where he was going. Everything was new to him. Without following the leader, his teacher, he was going to be lost.

We are like that impatient student on our walk with God sometimes. We want to rush ahead and try to figure things out for ourselves, instead of waiting for our Leader to show us the way to get to where we are going next.

We are called to be followers of Christ. When Jesus called His disciples, He said to them, "Follow Me." Matthew 4:19 says, “And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 1 Peter 2:21 states, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.” He was not looking for someone to lead Him. He was looking for people to follow Him.

Being a follower of Jesus is not always easy. It requires self-denial. Matthew 16:24 says, “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Following Jesus also means that some people will not like you. Psalm 38:20 declares, “They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.”

Despite the challenges, The Lord is with those who follow Him. Hosea 6:3 assures, “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” In John 12:26, Jesus said, “If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.”

We are encouraged by the Scripture to follow after things that are good.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 reads, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” Romans 14:19 states, “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 says, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” 1 Timothy 6:11 encourages, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

2 Timothy 2:22 states, “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Hebrews 12:14 declares, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

Good things follow those who follow Jesus. Mark 16:17-18 says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Psalm 23:6 assures, " Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

In this age of social media, many people are trying to build a following. We are constantly asked to subscribe to someone's channel, like their posts, or follow their page on a social media platform. I wonder how many followers Jesus would have if He had a social media page? He left us something better than one page to follow. He left us the pages of the Holy Scripture. It contains the essentials for salvation and how to overcome the enemy.

I will leave you with this question...who are you following?