Leading and Following

We live in a day and age where there is a growing distrust in anyone who claims to be leader or CEO. Every news release seems to reflect that the major leaders in our world care only for those who work for them when they might personally benefit in someway. One writer said it this way, “We live in an age of 51-percent majorities, public opinion polls and an increasingly distrustful populace. As a result, non-leader politicians stick their fingers in the air to read the winds of public sentiment on nearly every issue. The leaders are becoming the followers and the followers, more and more, the leaders.  

Leaders don’t trust their followers, and followers don’t trust their leaders. With rare exceptions, leaders and followers can be trusted for only one thing in today’s world—to do what they think is in their own self – interest.” So that is the world in which we live. We don’t trust our leaders, and we are convinced that no one can safe-guard our best interest as well as we can. It is into that world that Jesus’ words and example are so very refreshing.

For Jesus said, “Follow me” (Mark 1:17).  Meaning that when we come to faith in Him we ought to come understanding He is the leader, and we are the followers. As Christians, where He goes we will go, and where He leads we will follow.

If you are still of the opinion that anyone who claims to be a leader only has his best interest in mind then check out Jesus’ example! For the Bible teaches that He took up a cross, and died on it to pay for the sins of those who have placed their faith in Him (Col. 1:19-23). When was the last time we saw a leader in our generation who was willing to die for those who didn’t have his best interest in mind?

Might I encourage you to put your cynicism about leaders and followers aside, and follow the One who said, “follow me,” and then died and rose again on your behalf.