Who Are You Following? নমুনা

Are You Following Your Truth or the Truth?

I remember the first time I went to a Taylor Swift concert. She was coming to a city about an hour and a half away from where I live. Growing up in small-town Louisiana, if someone like Taylor Swift was coming anywhere near, it was a really big deal. You definitely made sure to show up. We got our tickets and made the trip to see T. Swift in person. When we got there we were all getting situated in our seats, and as everyone else sat down, I was strategically making my move to get the aisle seat, because I had heard that at one point in the concert Taylor would run from stage A to stage B. This would mean that she just might have to run right past us. And she did! I remember as she ran by in her fringe dress, I reached out, hoping to just touch the fringe of her garment.

When Taylor Swift ran by that night and I reached out to touch her as she passed, I was hyped—I’m not going to lie. She even threw me her guitar pick. I was really thriving in my preteens.

But I have to be honest with you: that moment did not change my life. Nor did it really offer any kind of lasting enjoyment or blessing. Because the thing is, no matter how famous a person is, it doesn’t mean they are any more important than you are.

There’s only one famous person who has ever lived that, when you touch the fringe of their garment, you’re healed. No other garment will heal you. No one but Jesus Christ can truly change you, bringing you from death to life. Jesus’ fame is the only fame worth running after and reaching out to.

God loves us and there is no doubt about it. But God also has a purpose for our lives, and it involves more than just saying we believe He is who He says He is. God’s Word says that even the demons believe (James 2:19), but really following Jesus involves more than that.

The way of sin is not the way God created us to live. When we step outside of His way, it always leads to pain, confusion, and hurt, the opposite of the abundant life He has for us. If God did not care about your sin, then He really would not care about your life.

If we’re still saying, “You do you,” or, “You live your truth,” then no wonder we’re not getting the fruit the Bible promises us. A lot of people who claim to be Christians are not living in the truth, which is why they don’t understand why they’re not happy, why they’re not free from their sin, why they’re not joyful, why they don’t have peace.

I have been asking God a lot of questions lately about how to follow Him in the days that we are facing. I’m not talking about just following Him like I’ve hit the Follow button, see His updates when they scroll across my page, and like them every once in a while. I’m talking about truly following Him in the way that His Word says, not just in a way that is comfortable for me.

God did not just shout out words from the atmosphere down to all His followers, saying, “This is the way to get to Me.” Instead, He sent Jesus to become a friend and to show us the way. A friend tells the truth out of love and does not guide you in the wrong direction. And the one being helped does not feel judged, but rather loved that his friend cares enough to get him on the right path.

Jesus actually addressed this idea of how to follow Him in Matthew 16:24. When Jesus talked about following Him, He didn’t sugar-coat it at all. He didn’t say, “Follow Me, it’ll be great. You’re going to live an amazing life and I will pour my blessings on you financially.” Instead, it’s a much more realistic message: “Follow Me. It will probably be hard. People will probably persecute you and even hate you, but remember they hated Me first. I will be with you and give you strength to endure. Follow Me because I can give you eternal life.”

Respond

Have you decided to follow Jesus? Share your salvation experience.

If you have not, who in your circle could you turn to for guidance?

Prayer

Precious Jesus, thank You for making a way for me to spend eternity with You in heaven!