Friday, July 5, 2013

The word "follow"

Jesus said, "Follow me." In my churches, we talk a lot about "asking Jesus into your heart" or "trusting Jesus with your life." But let's just look at the word "follow."

You have to decide to follow someone. Even if you inadvertently walk behind them for a few blocks, you can be going about your own business, and those blocks were just coincidence. You follow by decision. You stop doing your own thing and having your own purpose. Instead, you submit to the choices that another is making.

If you are going to follow someone, you have to keep your eye on them. You can't just announce, "I am following Shirley!" and then Shirley goes around a corner and you pick up your magazine again. In Christian circles, we talk about the importance of going to church, praying, reading your Bible. These activities can get legalistic, but their purpose is clear: keep your eye on Jesus. Remind yourself of the One you are following, or you will lose track and end up with your nose in that magazine again.

Finally, if you are going to follow, you have to keep moving. Jesus doesn't stand still. (Okay, sometimes He does, and that can be maddening if you are the high-action type. But if you're following, then you stop when He stops. It's one way you learn that you're not in charge.) Sometimes Jesus will turn into a neighborhood where you don't want to be, or walk up to someone to start a conversation that you would rather avoid. Following involves the ongoing realization that you are not in charge. Your steps are no longer your own.

Pretty simple, right?

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