Given March 2018 

A follower…what or who do you follow? Maybe you follow a sports team or a TV show.  Surely you follow someone on Twitter or Facebook. But really, in this capacity, you’re just an observer hanging around, listening to conversations, watching and wandering in and out of connection with whoever or whatever you’re following. You probably don’t have that deep connection or relationship with them or maybe even no relationship at all! You just follow and when something else comes your way, you leave that following and go off to another.  Think about it.

Now, think about your relationship with Jesus.  Are you JUST a follower or have you counted the cost and decided to go, “all in”? Luke 14:33 wraps up examples of people who needed to “count the cost” in certain situations: “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”  Jesus also said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). If we are to be true followers of Jesus, it’s going to take a full commitment not just a, “whenever I need to” attitude.  Sure we’re pretty good followers at church but what about at the ball game, at home, at work, at school or in the store?  I hope you can see the difference and will #thinkaboutit.