Who Are You Following?

"And the leaders and officials 

have led the way in this unfaithfulness."

Ezra 9:2b

God has always been concerned with the holiness of His people since purity reflects His nature (Leviticus 20:26, 1 Peter 1:16).  He knows the hearts of His people and how easy they are corrupted by worldly ways.  Therefore, it was His intention for His people to avoid intermarrying with the nations around them.  As a form of protection against idol worship, God desired for His people to stick with their own (Deuteronomy 7:1-4).

When many leaders were condoning rebellion, however, and making intermarriage seem acceptable, the people naturally followed.  It is the same today.  There are many pastors, speakers and teachers who have strayed from God's intended purpose for His people.  As a result, it is very important that I carefully choose those I follow.  I may think I'm secure in my faith, but in truth I'm easily swayed, just like the Israelites.  Therefore, I would be wise to select godly leadership.

Follow Suit.  When I was in elementary school I had a good friend whom I admired.  When she showed up one day with a fake fur coat, I went home and asked my mom for the same.  When it came time to buy a new coat, I chose one just like my friend but in a different color.  When it rained, she stayed dry under a bubble umbrella.  Of course I had to have one just like it.  My friend parted her hair down the middle and clipped it back on each side so I wanted to do just the same.  The more I spent time with her, the more she rubbed off on me.

While I may not adopt the style of my leaders, their behaviors, attitudes and beliefs will influence me.  Even if it is my intention to be mostly swayed by Jesus himself, I can't help but take on some of the ways of thinking of the people I follow.    

I would be wise to choose mentors with godly behavior, attitudes and beliefs, for they will soon become mine (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Chip off the Block.  I love to watch The Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic channel.  One of the things Cesar Millan teaches is that a dog is a reflection of his owner.  If the human struggles with fear, the dog will become fearful without the security of a calm, assertive pack leader.  If I want to have a healthy, obedient dog, I must work on some of my own issues first.

Similary, the more I'm around a person who I look up to, the more I will come to resemble them.  It makes sense, then, that I surround myself with godly people who teach me more about Jesus than I would ever know apart from them. In other words, if my leaders are not modeling Christ-like behavior, I should not consider them to be my leader. 

This is not to say I need to follow perfect people.  We all have our struggles and are works in progress (Philippians 1:6).  I can, however, choose those who are open with their issues and are willing to admit to downfalls, modeling for me humility and the act of submission to God's purification process known as sanctification (James 5:16, Malachi 3:3-4, Romans 6:6).

I would be wise to choose humble leaders who submit to God, for I will come to resemble them in many ways.

Influence.  There are only two directions in which I can travel.  One is toward Jesus, the other is away from Him.  I can work with Jesus or against Him (Matthew 12:30).  I can move in the direction of life or on the way to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).  In life, I just have to choose.

Since I've got to take a stand, it is vital that I surround myself with people who point me to Jesus.  If I'm not consistently hearing that He is the answer to every problem, the missing link to each chain, and the perfect fulfillment of my every desire, I'm probably being led in the wrong direction.

It's easy to water down the gospel to make it more palatable for today's carnally-minded culture.  What I end up with, then, is a version of Jesus that is popular but not real.  A Gospel that appeals to everyone but has lost it's transforming power.  A message that seems relevant but is far from the truth.

I would be wise to choose teachers who keep Jesus front and center, for the path I follow will be strongly influenced by their teachings.

It matters who my leaders are.  While it is important for me to study God's Word for myself and work out my own salvation with fear and trembling, I am created to live in community with others.  When picking who I follow, I would be wise to choose those whose walk resembles Jesus and whose heart is humble and pliable.  Then I won't have to worry when I follow suit, take on their characteristics and am influenced by their teachings.  In order to stay true to Jesus and His intention for my life, I must always ask, "Who am I following?"

As I begin this day it is my prayer that those who are leading me help me keep my eyes on Jesus. 

When does my mentor encourage me to emulate them instead of Jesus?

How are my influences leading me down the wrong path?  

  

The Buck Stops Here

"Rehum the governor and Shimshai the court secretary 

wrote the letter, telling King Artaxerxes 

about the situation in Jerusalem.  

They greeted the king for all their colleagues--

the judges and local leaders, 

the people of Tarpel, 

the Persians, 

the Babylonians, 

and the people of Erech and Susa (that is, Elam).  

They also sent greetings from the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal had deported 

and relocated in Samaria 

and throughout the neighboring lands of the province 

west of the Euphrates River."

Ezra 4:8-10 NLT

There were a lot of people behind this letter written to the king of Persia, seeking to undermine the efforts of God's people to rebuild the temple of the living God as well as the city in which it dwells.  It proved to accomplish its purpose in halting the progress being made, planting a seed of doubt in the king's mind as to the Jews' trustworthiness in honoring the king, especially when it comes to the paying of taxes of any kind.

Usually it's the leader who must take responsibility for the actions of a group such as this.  To God, however, each one who agreed and supported this tactic is responsible for what happened as a result of this letter.  

It's the same with me.  Even if everyone around me resists God and works against Him, I always have the choice to side with Him, going against the crowd.  How do I often go with the flow, defying God as a result?

Status Quo.  Jesus went through a lot to deliver to me a new way of living.  He gave up His divinity for a time so that I could have the benefit of His indwelling Spirit (Philippians 2:6-8, Galatians 3:14) .  

He took the punishment for my sin upon Himself so that my body could be the new temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19).  

He stepped off the throne to deliver salvation to a world desperately in need of saving (John 3:17).  As God restored His Son to His rightful place of honor in heaven, He also gave Jesus the Holy Spirit to pour out on me (Acts 2:32-33).

Since I have been given such treasure, why would I do things the way they have always been done, failing to take notice of where the Spirit leads (1 Thessalonians 5:19)?  Why would I walk in the flesh instead of letting His Spirit guide my life (Galatians 5:16)?  Why would I maintain the status quo when God has something new in mind (Isaiah 43:18-19)?

I am responsible for going where God's Spirit leads me, not falling in line with what man expects of me.

Blend.  Do people around me know that I follow Jesus?  Or do I blend in, looking like the rest of the world in my attitudes, choices, and lifestyle?  As the salt of the earth, I am called to be different.  In order to make a kingdom-difference in this world, I must not lose my saltiness (Matthew 5:13).  I can't afford to become like everyone else because then, what good will I be in influencing the world for Christ?

It is Jesus dwelling in me that makes me different from the world.  If I resist His transforming work as He tears down the old and replaces the flesh with the new, how will I appear to my neighbor?  Like a hypocrite who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk.  Like a carnal Christian who is bound by sin.  Like a member of the pop-culture church which is impotent and dead.

If I cooperate with what Jesus is doing, however, I will be transformed in my thoughts and attitudes, taking on a new persona that is focused on making the most of God in my day-to-day life (Romans 12:2).  I will then want what God wants and will find myself at odds with the world.

I am responsible for resisting the tendency to blend in with the world, instead cooperating with God's transformation process, making me different than the rest of the world.

Common Sense.  How do I usually make choices?  I always heard that I should make a list of pros and cons and choose the side that is more heavily weighted.  Or to follow my heart.  Or to just pick and let the chips fall where they may.

There are many methods used to make decisions, but all of them rely on my own resources.  Either it's what makes sense to me that wins out or what feels good that influences me the most.  

Whichever technique I use, I can only discern God's direction if I trust Him, placing all my confidence in Him and His ability to lead me.  What I absolutely cannot do is rely on my own insight, perception or intelligence.  Only by recognizing that He is the One with the plan, will I be able to discover the way He has prepared for me to go (Proverbs 3:5-6).  And I must be prepared to accept that this plan probably won't make sense to me.

I am responsible for trusting God instead of my own way of thinking.

People all around me are going the wrong way.  Either I could join in, taking the wide path that leads to destruction, or I could step out of the stream and find the narrow gate.  When I do, I must let the Holy Spirit lead me, resist the urge to blend in and instead let God transform me, and stop relying on my common sense or other carnal resources.  In these ways I won't be ashamed of the direction my life goes, and I'll honor God in the process.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stop going with the flow.

When do I resist the leading of the Holy Spirit?

How am I trusting more in my common sense than in God's wisdom, which is far from common?