We have all been told that being a follower is not such a great thing. Everyone is encouraged to be different and to believe in what they want. This concept is good, however I want to look into follow two different things and determine if it is a bad thing to be a follower or not.
Follower of The Crowd/World
The world has some pretty interesting opinion about almost all topics that deal with life. It is so easy to get caught up into all those opinions that you get persuaded into following them even if you originally did not have the same opinion before. We have this mindset that we need to be the trend follower instead of the trendsetter (even if you call yourself a setter). We want to fit in. It feels like it is so easy to fit in when you follow what the “crowd” wants. But, what happens to you? You are no longer who you want to be, but someone that the world shaped and molded into what they wanted you to be. What did you have to give up to fit in? Your style, your morals, your passions? To me, I do not want to give up these things just to fit into a mold that the “crowd” created and told me was “right.” I want to be my own person. I want to be me.
Opinion: Being a follower of the crowd is not a good thing to do. You need to be you!
Follower of Jesus
Being a follower of Jesus is different than following the crowd. When you follow Jesus, he is looking out for you and wants what is best for you. This path of following may not be the easy path like the path to follow the world, but it is the path with the best results. We are called to follow Jesus. We see this when he called his disciples.
Matthew 4:18-20 says, “Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”
The disciples left everything immediately to follow Jesus because whether they knew immediately or not, Jesus was going to use them for amazing things to show people His glory. My dad had a lesson a few Sundays ago about being a follower of Jesus. He said that he wanted to be a part of the followers of Jesus who could call themselves the few, the saved, and the holy (I’m paraphrasing of course). I want that too. Don’t you?
Opinion: Being a follower of Jesus is probably the best decision that you can make. He wants to spend eternity with you in heaven.
Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’”
