Twitter: Follow ME.

Let’s be honest here…we’re all followers.  We have TV shows we protect, blogs we read, directions we follow, and instructions we follow (unless you’re a man and the last two are optional).  I think we were made to be followers.  The easiest place to see this instinctive human value for me lies within the teenage sphere of life.  Just watch and see.  Teenagers are often like ants.  They follow because they want in.  However, many times they follow mindlessly or because it’s what others are doing.  Savvy marketers have caught on to this idea as well.  Look at the teenage culture surrounding MTV.

Following requires close proximity…except on Twitter.  Twitter has changed the game when it comes to following.  You just simply need to follow someone on Twitter, and then you can get updates about their food choices and their political opinions.  You can open the App every couple of days and get a glimpse into their lives.  But hey, you’re following. 

Somewhere along the way, we started believing this is the way we could follow Jesus.  We think we can get a glimpse into who he is every so often and that will make us a Christian, or a Christ-follower.  Our teenagers have watched us live in this reality, and so they are trying it out for themselves.  The problem…we’re giving more attention to following things other than Christ.  Sounds kind of like idolatry.  The disciples followed Jesus quite a bit differently than we do.  Look at Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, Mark 2:13-14, Luke 5:1-11 and Luke 5:27-32. 

Notice anything here?  How about the response of the disciples?  There’s no hesitation.  We hesitate when Jesus calls.  We ignore the Holy Spirit and call that “gut feeling” the result of forgetting to eat breakfast.  What are missing when we hesitate to follow?  Look at the disciples.  They are blessed in obedience.  It’s either obedience or disobedience.  There’s no ish or middle ground.  Oh, but you better believe teens are trying the ish.  My room is clean-ish.  Curfew is 12:00…I’ll be home at 12-ish.  It’s all or nothing when we’re following Christ.  Aaaand, it demands an immediate response.  If you hesitate, the train leaves the station.  Hesitation in our walk with Christ may mean we miss the blessings produced by obedience. 

The other big thing here…Jesus didn’t allow his disciples to follow from a distance.  He demanded they follow right behind him.  He wanted them with him along the way.  They had to stay close in order to know how to follow.  Though you can follow Jesus on Twitter (no, really), you can’t really follow the Son of God without staying close to him.  When we try to survive in the “ish,” we just create a civil war of the soul.  When we do that, we are putting ourselves on the rack…you know, the old stretching torture method.  Relationship with Jesus doesn’t happen every few days by sort of checking in…but that’s how most teens are trying to work it.  You can’t imitate Christ if you’re not close enough to see him.

What’s great about this whole following thing is Jesus makes it pretty clear what’s required and what’s involved.  People who get it and who follow closely want to bring others along for the journey.  Look at John 1:35-51.  First, “Follow me.”  Now, “Come and you will see.”  They’ve followed and they’ve seen.  What’s next, they bring others.  They repeat the mantra of Christ…”Come and see!”  They follow, but they also lead. 

No hesitation.  Staying close.  Calling others to join.  Following Jesus.

1. We’re all following someone or something.

2.  Following requires close proximity.

3.  We’re all leading.

Questions for you and your family:

What are you following that is causing hesitation in your response to the daily call of Christ?

Are you struggling to hear from God?  How can you become a closer follower?

Can you say you are proud of how/where you are leading others?

Thanks for downloading with us.  Praying for APPlication in your homes this week!  See you at enCOUNTER next week!

-Ross