Hmmm… A Lenten blog… What can I write about when the topic is “Follow?”
This is a particularly good question when I am doing a lot of following but don’t know what it is I’m following. And, it feels a lot more like chasing then following!
It’s also a good and necessary question when my “chase” is not focused with a vision that looks anything like the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. My chase doesn’t include:
· Continual thankfulness for Jesus’ pain and suffering for those of us reading this (and those not reading this.)
· Jesus’ teachings that He lived and died for.
· Following – Listening, hearing, learning and living by His teachings.
As I think about this topic, I can see that “Following” is easier said than done…. But if I can put a spin on this, I think there is a way that will help all of us “follow” (myself included.)
I think for many of us…. We need to lead to follow. I know, you’re saying… “What??????”
Take a minute to read on, as this will hopefully make sense and hopefully have some ROI of your time. Keep “Lead to Follow” in mind and let’s think about that!!
We’ll start with a few examples…
1. A few weeks ago, Phil Van Horn mentioned that he was nervous about his commitment to lead a “Men’s Group” but he felt a calling. While he has influenced many men, it’s important to mention here that he has also shared that he has learned to trust and follow in the process.
2. While I was excited to lead the “Foundations” class with Michele, I was also nervous. However, the role caused me to spend time praying, reading, planning, and removed me from my daily “chase” to follow by leading.
3. I was talking with Doug Givens this past Sunday and I mentioned that leading others related to roles in our church has a way of making us very accountable (I think some more appropriate words to use in my case are unqualified, lost, weak, distracted and broken.) Interestingly, with a grin on Doug’s face he was quick to recognize that truth as he described that he was going to be leading a service that has already caused him to “look within.”
Sooo…. I think that as we take on opportunities to lead in some way where we may have a calling, we also learn to follow. This has been especially true in my case and as shared by Phil and Doug in the way we have each truly “followed” with more time in prayer, reading of scripture, and listening to follow God by leading. These are only three very recent and personal examples. But without a doubt, I believe that we have all seen big ROI received in following as a result of leading.
In the ongoing struggle between chase and follow, this blog is just another example…
Thanks Lee, for asking me to write and the opportunity to think and pray about my walk.
And for those reading, I hope I have not left you ragged with my writing but instead, have given you some return on your time spent reading about following through leading. (Yes, I know…. Hard to imagine an engineer would have wrapped it with a rhyme.)
God Bless your walk and your pondering of “Follow.”
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