Is Anyone Following? — Two2Grow, Tuesday, July 14
Is Anyone Following? — Two2Grow, Tuesday, July 14
“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT
It is often said, “If you want to know whether you are a leader, look behind you. Is anyone following?”
God has called each of us to raise up followers of Jesus. But that does not begin by looking for people whom we can lead. It begins by living a life radically centered on Jesus, where He is our true north—the fixed point that gives us meaning and direction.
Are we living such a Jesus-centered life that we are ready to be as bold as Paul and say, “Imitate me”?
That does not mean you have to be perfect. No one is perfect apart from the Lord. Rather, it means that with every fiber of our being, we press into Jesus, fighting sin and temptation and intentionally growing in the areas of our lives that do not reflect Him.
Sometimes we think we have to know everything before we can help someone else. We think we must have memorized the Bible in Greek and Hebrew and have visions of angels every night. No! It begins by giving away what God has already given you. Right now, you have something from God that someone else does not have.
Simply ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone who needs what you have, and then share that. It can be an insight in the Word of God, a lifehack that God has taught you, a monetary gift, time to listen, or anything else.
When giving away what God has given you becomes a habit, and then you look behind you, there will be people following you—not just you, but the same Jesus that you are following.
Lord, I acknowledge Your call on my life to raise up followers of You. Help me to imitate You and to resist the fear that hold me back. Lead me to someone today who needs what You have already given me. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD
It is often said, “If you want to know whether you are a leader, look behind you. Is anyone following?”
God has called each of us to raise up followers of Jesus. But that does not begin by looking for people whom we can lead. It begins by living a life radically centered on Jesus, where He is our true north—the fixed point that gives us meaning and direction.
Are we living such a Jesus-centered life that we are ready to be as bold as Paul and say, “Imitate me”?
That does not mean you have to be perfect. No one is perfect apart from the Lord. Rather, it means that with every fiber of our being, we press into Jesus, fighting sin and temptation and intentionally growing in the areas of our lives that do not reflect Him.
Sometimes we think we have to know everything before we can help someone else. We think we must have memorized the Bible in Greek and Hebrew and have visions of angels every night. No! It begins by giving away what God has already given you. Right now, you have something from God that someone else does not have.
Simply ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone who needs what you have, and then share that. It can be an insight in the Word of God, a lifehack that God has taught you, a monetary gift, time to listen, or anything else.
When giving away what God has given you becomes a habit, and then you look behind you, there will be people following you—not just you, but the same Jesus that you are following.
Lord, I acknowledge Your call on my life to raise up followers of You. Help me to imitate You and to resist the fear that hold me back. Lead me to someone today who needs what You have already given me. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD