1 Corinthians 11:1 – Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Look behind you. Someone is following you. No, I do not mean some nefarious shadowy figure. It is a group of your friends, family and colleagues. There are even some strangers who saw you at the store the other day. They are all following your lead.
You may not think of yourself as a leader. Many people don’t. Maybe you are shy or you think your job is not important enough to be considered one that leads others. You, my friend, are wrong. Everyone has followers. Someone observes what you do and they are inspired or encouraged to do what you do. Perhaps your behavior just gives them an excuse to do what they want, or instead seeing you makes them think twice. Human beings are social creatures and we look to others to know what to do. So, you lead others simply by being.
Christians should look to Christ of course for their example, but many times we can and should look to other Christians. Whether they are pastors, teachers, evangelists or some other person in the church, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can be a great source of encouragement and help (Ephesians 4:11-13). Indeed, you might say that is the purpose of the Church.
Having followers may make you uncomfortable. That’s okay. It should. We should be ever mindful that Christ’s example lives in His disciples, you and me. Where He leads, I’ll follow.