Follow the Leader
1 Corinthians 11:1
“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.”
— The Apostle Paul from 1 Corinthians 11:1
I’m sure you remember the children’s game “Follow the Leader”. Wikipedia describes the game like this, “Players first choose a leader or “head of the line” and the remaining players (the followers) all line up behind the leader. The leader then moves around and all the players have to mimic the leader’s actions. Any players who fail to follow or mimic the leader are out of the game.”
Being a follower of Jesus is not exactly like this, but let’s see if we can make a few helpful observations from this illustration.
- Like the game, everyone chooses their leader. For many in the world, it is themselves. They desire to be the master of their life, set their own agenda, and seek to fill their lives with as much happiness as they can get. Joshua challenged the Israelites and each of us with this, “Choose this day whom you will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
- Followers are to “mimic the leader’s actions”. Unlike the game, we can’t simply see Jesus and physically follow His moves. Rather, we must pursue knowing Him through the Bible and seek to be in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 tells us, “If we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
- In the game “Follow the Leader,” players who fail to follow the leader – even one time – are out of the game. Thank God for His faithfulness to always love and forgive us when we fail to follow Him. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
Paul followed Jesus so closely that he could boldly say, “Follow me as I follow the example of Christ.” May that be true of each of us as well. “He (Jesus) must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)