Follow in the Leader's Footsteps

I’ve officially decided I don’t like to lead.  If I'm in unfamiliar territory, I want someone who's been there before.  Leading is frightening, and I get lost easily.  Following me would be like the old adage, “the blind leading the blind.”  I never pick the right path.  I stumble easily.  I am directionally challenged.  All in all, I am just not very confident when it comes to taking charge.

I know this because my husband and I have done some little bit of hiking in the national forest/wilderness, behind our house, since returning to Colorado.  I’m perfectly content to take a position directly behind him.  I let him pick the way.  I walk where he walks (granted, it takes me two or three steps to his one).  I don’t want to pick the way.  He knows the national forest behind our house like the back of his own hand. He's been there A LOT!  I’ve tried going up there by myself.  I’ve ended up walking in circles (seriously), several times, before I’ve found my way back.  Again, I am not joking.  When I’m picking the way, I feel very much like the children of Israel wandering in the desert, “Oh, I’ve seen that tree before…”  And, I don’t learn quickly from my mistakes.

It’s true in life, too.  I’m just not very practical when it comes to taking charge.  So, when I read that Jesus' first words to his disciples were an invitation to follow, I’m really OK with that.  Following is a lot easier than leading, and it doesn’t have such huge responsibilities that come with it.  Or does it?

Here is what Jesus actually said to them: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).  Immediately they left their nets and followed him (vs. 20)." The invitation was to step behind, to watch and to walk in his steps.  There was a purpose in following.  The purpose was to be a learner.  The purpose was to be transformed into Jesus-like men. Men who would not catch fish anymore, but catch men for the Kingdom – to do exactly what Jesus was called to do, “seek and save the lost.”  The men they would “catch” would then follow them as they followed the Master (that’s exactly what Paul was telling us in Ephesians 5:1, when he said, "Imitate me...").

We can’t stay followers in Jesus’ agenda, no matter how much we might want to do so.  When we decide to follow Him, we are committing to lead, eventually.  So, we need to pay close attention.  We need to position ourselves to let him do the transforming….and we better take note of the way, because there isn’t time in the mission for getting lost and wandering in circles.

Following always turns into leading, whether I want to lead or not...  So, I'm learning:  follow the leader as closely as possible! I'd hate to lead someone else in circles.