“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (I Corinthians 11:1 NIV)
Social Bee defines a follower this way, “A follower is a person who follows the opinions, ideas, beliefs, and teachings of another. In social media, a follower is someone who has subscribed to an account in order to receive all the updates.”
Online businesses track the number of their followers on social media to help successfully meet their profit goals. Celebrities generate millions of followers. Podcasters and publishers who use various social media forums generate thousands and hundreds of followers. During the pandemic, churches forced to meet virtually, started keeping track of the number of people attending services online. Yes, even church administrators keep an eye on how many virtual followers they have.
The Apostle Paul took a position about his followers, not to gauge his popularity, but rather to get people in the kingdom of believers. You read his words above, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” We should take the very same position, realizing that someone is always looking at how you exemplify Christ every where you go. Hopefully, you exemplify Christ, and prayerfully you are gaining followers,
Therefore, we should live as a Christian ought to the best of our ability because all of us have followers. This is especially true for believers who have been in the universal church for a long time and because of their years of advocating that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and due to years of testifying that the Lord changed them. The children in your family, the prospects you are performing personal evangelism with, and the new Christians who just started their journey are looking at the example you set. Does your behavior match the beliefs you express? Does your tongue match your marvelous testimony that shows you are one of Jesus’ disciples? Does your conduct communicate that it is more than an often used saying when you speak the words, “First giving honor to God who is the Head of my life, and to my Savior Jesus Christ?” If the answer to these questions is “Yes!” – that’s great. If the answer is “Sometimes” or “Often” or at the worst, “No. I got mine. Others can get their own,” then you have some work to do. You needs some followers who follow you as you follow Christ.
And get this point! Your followers ought to be growing in number, not in search of popularity, but in pursuit of the lost who need to come out of darkness and into the marvelous light.
So, let me close with the question presented in our title. Take it personal. “How many followers do you have?” Generate some new followers this week! The Lord gives us a tip on how to accomplish this in our closing verse. Thanks again for reading and reacting! Be blessed!
“Then Jesus said to his disciples,’ Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’” (Matthew 16:24 NIV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King