"Follower," Who Me?

"Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves Me."  (John 12:26)

I shared yesterday from my Gospel reading; I thought I would again today.  I have shared before on our text, but it has been such a powerful encouragement to me, that I wanted to "remind you of these things."

One who serves must be one who follows.  There are just too many books today about "leadership."  Maybe the Church would be better off if it emphasized more and more, "Whoever serves...must follow...."  How many leaders do you know who are followers?  I have written before, and I write it again.  Follower is for most a bad word, a "put down" word.  "O, he's a follower."  Frankly, I am always suspicious of a person who constantly looks for ways to lead, be in charge, looking for leadership roles.  I wonder what local congregations would be like if members said to their pastors, "I would like to follow you."  I can hear it now, "Oh!  I don't follow any man."  Fine, but how is your "follower-life?"

Our Lord Jesus gives us a life principle here, and it is much "deeper" than I can understand or express.  The only way you and I can be "with" Jesus is to follow Jesus, "Whoever serves Me must follow Me."  (This text took us to Berlin in October 1998.)  Maybe instead of saying, "The Lord led me there," we should say, "I followed Jesus there."  I really believe it would change our whole perspective on Kingdom Life and affect any needed attitude change.  It changes the whole role from asking Jesus to go with me to committing to Jesus to, "follow Me,"/Him---- "wherever" He is going.  It is easier for us to come to Jesus and say, "Be with me today," or, "Go with me," or, "Help me in what I am doing and want to do." 

Maybe pray something like this: "Lord Jesus, you know what I am going through at work, school, in my family.  I will follow You through this.  Amen."  May our Lord Jesus give us understanding in all of this, and write our text in our hearts.

Father, in Jesus'  Name, I must admit that by nature I would rather lead than follow.  Forgive me if this manifests in my relationship with you and others.  Teach me, Holy Spirit, and make me a follower of You.  Amen.

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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2