Follow

We follow so many things in our lives. Even if we don't care to admit that we're following something, chances are we're following more closely than we even realize. The question is, are we following the right things?

I'm a Christian. It's a title I've carried with me for most of my life. A lot of people lay claim to the title, whether they know what it means or not. For me, it means that I am a follower of Christ. But what does that mean?

I look back at the New Testament scriptures and see multiple examples of Jesus calling out to someone to follow him. Those men drop everything at that moment, leaving their old lives behind, and follow without question.

In other countries around the world, people are making incredible sacrifices in their lives just to become followers of Christ. These are people who risk being shunned by their families, people who risk their livelihoods, people who risk their very lives, just to call themselves a Christian.

Here in America, people can freely be Christians without risk of persecution, and we take it for granted. We don't necessarily count the cost of following Christ.

I believe that everything created comes from a Creator. Therefore, everything I have, really belongs to God anyway. So why is it so difficult for me to give up so many of the trivial things in my life to follow Christ? These are things that people around the world and throughout history have been forced to live without because of their beliefs.

What is there in my life that I can give up for the one person in all the world who was bruised, beaten, and killed for me? Maybe a better question is, what can't I give up?