FOLLOW THE LEADER

I remember playing the game, Follow The Leader, on the playground as a child.  Wherever the “leader” went, we lined up behind them and followed.  Real life, however, is not a children’s game.

       Photo by Jes Zoerb on Unsplash

Follow my example, as I follow Christ.  1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)

We must always be careful whom we choose to be a spiritual role model for our lives.  There is great responsibility on “a leader” regarding the use or misuse of influence.  To be clear, if you are a Believer, you are by definition a leader whether you realize/acknowledge it or not.  There is always someone watching you---your conversation, how you handle challenging circumstances/people, whether what you confess with your mouth is actually lived out in your day-to-day life.  People will always put more spiritual weight on your actual “walk” if it does not line up with your verbal testimony.

Granted, each one of us is an imperfect being prone to weaknesses, mistakes, and failure, which Paul indirectly acknowledges when he said ‘follow me AS I follow Christ’, inferring that if/when he fails, please don’t follow me.  We are never to be a stumbling block to another. According to Wikipedia.org, a stumbling block in the Bible is a “metaphor for a behavior or attitude that leads another to sin or to destructive behavior.” Paul was sensitive to that responsibility, as we should be as well.

1 Timothy 4:12b (NLT) applies to each one of us.  “Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity”.  True leaders lead by example as Christ did as He walked the earth. When an individual fails, that failure should be acknowledged, repentance should follow, appropriate apologies made, with forgiveness & restoration following.  When in doubt, always follow Christ because He is the only perfect example/leader. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.  John 13:15 (NKJV)

Blessings.

~CWP~