No matter how old we are, we all need somebody to follow.
There is an unhealthy misconception that as we grow older we are assumed to be wiser and more independent. We see this in various facets of our lives:
-In our jobs, our experience gives us knowledge, and this pattern continues to push us into higher and higher positions
-In our families, as we grow older, we leave the home, stop depending on our parents, and eventually are expected to start and lead our own families
-In our church, as we faithfully attend and learn more regularly, we take more and more responsibilities with less accountability
In our spiritual lives as Christians, it is vital to our growth and spiritual health to always have somebody we are following and pushing us. Christians are not meant to be INDEPENDENT. No matter how many responsibilities we have, no matter what “title” we are known for, no matter how many years of “experience” we have in our spiritual walks, it is imperative that we continue to follow people as they follow Jesus. As Paul writes to the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (NIV 2011)
Me–>Another person–>Jesus Christ
Here’s a goose analogy:
We have this mentality that as we age and gain experience, we become the leader of the flying V. We start in the back, and as we serve and learn, we will end up being the point of the V. However, this is never true because Jesus Christ will always be the point and we will always be following.
A more healthy picture is this one:
We can always learn more, repent more, and grow more. May our own pride never fool us into thinking that we are ok on our own.
Who in your life are you following?
Hmmm... 