It was a question that was asked of me many years ago. And there are as many answers as there are people. It is something we all need to look at for ourselves, because we all follow someone in our lives. We have someone we see as important, and we look to them for inspiration, even if they don’t know we exist. Just based on the ratings there are many people in North America at least, who spend a great deal of time “Keeping up with the Kardashians.” Who you choose to follow will make a large impact on your life, and on the lives of those who may choose to follow you.
The reasons we choose to follow someone often are because we see something in them we want to have. Or we admire a character quality or an ability they exhibit. Or they have a way of understanding the world around them that we admire. They can be someone who can teach and input into our lives, or they can be someone we admire from afar who can be a role model for us.
We live in a world which is largely lacking in good role models. There was a time where people of great character were looked up to. When integrity and honesty were admiral qualities to have. A time where we saw people who stood up against the wrongs in our society and spoke of greater values. People like Gandhi, and Mother Teresa. Others like Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King. Great men and women who made great contributions to our world.
As Christians we have the opportunity to follow one of the greatest people in history. A man who stood up for some of the greatest values we still see as important. A man who impacted the world, and who is still affecting lives and conversations 2000 years later. And on top of the opportunity to follow Him, we have His personal promise that He will be directly and intimately involved in our lives.
Who do you follow? The choice is not if you follow someone, but who you follow. A better question may be to ask is are they worth following?
The Blog of Tom Sanders 