ACE #152: Are You a Follower?

fol·low

go or come after (a person or thing proceeding ahead); move or travel behind.

 

As office chatter was going on all around me, I couldn’t hear a thing.  I had my headphones in set to one of my favorite Pandora stations, “Stephen Hurd Radio.”

 

Two of my co-workers walked up to me and said that they were sure I’d overheard their conversation.  I pulled out my headphones and said, “What? I didn’t hear a thing.” I actually read their lips.

 

Co-worker 1: Oh, she had her headphones in. 

Co-worker 2: No wonder.

Co-worker 1: I hope you were listening to something good.

Me:  Yep, Jesus.

Co-worker 1: Oh, so you have his new album?

Me:  Yes, it's called, “Follow me.”

Co-worker 2: Whew!

Me:  That got on you a little, didn’t it?

Co-worker 3: Hahahaha (by way of 'ear hustling')

 

This exchange reminds me that there’s always an opportunity to share the message of Jesus Christ even in the small things, but more importantly, in order to truly follow him, we must be unashamed and unhesitant about it!

 

When Jesus called his disciples, he did it with a simple command of “Come, follow me.”  He didn’t beg.  He did it with a promise, “I will make you fishers of men.”  They dropped everything and did as He commanded.  Later, he said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” 

 

The part that we often miss from day to day is that in order to follow Jesus, we must allow him to lead us.  If we’re not truly allowing Jesus to lead our lives in thought, word, and deed, then we really aren’t following Him.  Also, what are the things that we are willing to drop, right there on the spot...without hesitation to follow Him?

 

Ask yourself the question, “Am I really following Jesus?”

 

Matthew 4:19

¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”