Follow the Leader

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ

1 Corinthians 11:1




A few years ago, a sweet and generous friend invited my kids and me to spend a few days with her and hers at her beach house. Being at the beach is my happy place so, of course, I leapt at the chance.
Because of an earlier commitment, I couldn't leave at the same time as my friend. In spite of my notoriety as being directionally challenged and having to depart waaaaay later than wise for the 6 hour drive, I was determined to join her. So I said yes yes yes and figured it would all work out.


Being the wise and compassionate friend that she is, she was not content to leave me to my senses. She took her husband's mobile GPS system, made sure it was programmed for their favorite route, and insisted I use it to get there.


She's a gem. For sure.


I packed up my two youngest as well as a buddy for my very youngest and set out long after dark. I don't like to drive unfamiliar routes in the dark. And especially not in the pouring rain. But I plugged that system in and focused only on its instructions. Turns out, there are several ways to reach this place. And a few tricky, unclear turns to make. But with this handy-dandy device, I was able to follow the tried and true route without mishap. I felt more confident and a lot less worried than if I had had to navigate the journey with just my instincts.


Not once did I consider it arrogant or presumptuous of my generous friend to suggest I use her pre-programmed GPS. Not once did I think of declining her offer and just winging it. Not once did I presume to be better off on my own.


Instead, I was immensely grateful and fastidious to follow it precisely.


I knew she'd been there a hundred times before and she knew the best way. Even if it wasn't easy in the dark with rain pouring and three other lives depending on my ability to stay out of the ditch, I knew I could make it if I just followed the instructions. Since I couldn't follow her car directly, I could instead follow the path she laid out for me.


She showed tremendous compassion and concern to see to it I had a path to follow.


Why, then, are we so reluctant to do the same in life? Instead of telling someone a season or so behind us "just follow me, I can help you get there", we get down in the ditch with them and agree that it's a hard place to be. In an effort to maintain humility, we parade all our failures, whine about our woes, and insist everything is just impossible. I remember as a young follower of Christ, I wanted a role model with skin on. I wanted someone that I could watch and trust enough to emulate. I didn't expect (or even want) perfection - just someone that would say - "you can imitate me because I am imitating Christ". Someone willing to be scrutinized...because they weren't afraid of what would be found. Someone willing to be examined because their reputation was of no concern - only Christ's. Someone willing to be followed because they were willing to follow The One.


I found some "someone's" like that. They didn't see themselves as worthy of emulation but they were "programmed" to reach their destination just like that GPS. And I listened to their instructions, I watched the screens of their lives, and I imitated what was there.


I am forever grateful for those people.


Granted, it's hard to be a "human GPS". We're liable to make a wrong turn or project an ETA incorrectly. And that might cause some angst to whomever is watching our screen. But just as Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel Mary Anne, in that classic children's favorite, worked harder and faster because people came to watch, maybe the same will be true of us. Maybe just knowing that someone else is imitating us, we'll be more careful to imitate Christ...instead of expecting to be excused for laziness or error or stumbles.


I still need those people in my life.


And I need to be one of those people so that someone else can follow me.


And then someone else can imitate them.


And then someone else...and then someone else...


And when we look up ahead, instead of "someone", we will see The One.


And He'll get us across that finish line.


Will you say with me,

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ

??

Pleasing God

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:15


Such a simple precept - doing good, sharing what we have. But sometimes we neglect it, don't we? The word for today is to consider what you have in terms of time, skills, material goods, money. Just think about it for a moment. Take inventory, so to speak. Don't let yourself be deceived into thinking you don't have much - if you are reading this, then you obviously have enough time and skill and material goods to share. (You're welcome!) Maybe you have enough time to make a phone call of encouragement. Maybe you have enough skill to bake a cake or sew some window treatments or mow a lawn for someone. Maybe you have enough material goods that you could donate some furniture to The Sparrow's Nest or medicine to Mercy Health Center or money to a mission trip. Maybe you have enough of all three.... Then let's ask God what we can share. How. With whom. Begin with surplus....then move to sacrifice. This please Him.


I'll just say that I think I have enough surplus of material goods that it'll take a while to get to the "sacrifice" level. How about you?

Standing Up

My dad had the sweetest habit. He was such a gentleman that, even at 86 years of age, he would stand when a woman entered the room. It was positively charming. I remember vividly when a friend of mine dropped by to see me and popped into my folk's apartment to say hello to them. Even though he was sick with cancer, my dad stood up to greet her and remained standing, struggling a bit, until she left.


Not just this once. He would do this every single time. It was absolutely adorable. Melted my heart every time.

Now my dad wasn't a "blue blood". He never went to "finishing school" to learn etiquette. I suppose most all his generation knew how to treat people from watching their elders. And those lessons stuck. He opened doors for women, spoke respectfully to others, and, yes, stood when he was introduced to someone, especially a female.


I was touched by that every single time. What a show of kindness. Of respect. Of affirmation.
It makes the other person feel so valued. What a gift!


One of my most cherished memories is that of coming home, after having left home, if you know what I mean. College days. Marriage. Family of my own. Coming home - where Mama and Daddy lived before they moved in with me. I'd pull into our long driveway and hit the horn a couple of times. I could see my Daddy in his chair by the window, and by the time I'd parked the car, he would have gotten up and come out to my car with his arms open wide. Welcome home. Welcome home. What a feeling of love, expressed in my Dad's simple gesture of getting out of his chair to greet me. To embrace me. To welcome me home. Every time.


I thought about my Daddy the other day at church. We were reading in Acts about Stephen, who was martyred for his faith. As he was dying, he gazed intently into Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus, standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55).


Now, we know from Ephesians 1:19-21 that Jesus's usual position is sitting down -


and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come


But when Stephen was dying, when he was coming home, Jesus stood to greet him. What an expression of love and affirmation and joy. Welcome home!


One day, I'm going to pull into Heaven's golden driveway. And I believe my King Jesus will be standing there, arms open wide, to welcome me home. Now, I don't know if Jesus gets out of His seat for every saint's homecoming - maybe it's just for martyrs like Stephen. To think that the King of Kings would rise as I enter is more than I can imagine. But sitting or standing, it won't matter - I will fall on my face before Him and worship. To see Him face to face. To think that the Creator of the Universe will have been longing for me to come home - I cannot imagine. Oh what a glorious day that will be!


My Daddy has beaten me there. I know he will be there to welcome me. Maybe he'll be seated at a window, just watching for me to come. And I just bet he'll get up to greet me. And after I've been with my sweet Savior, there'll be another pair of arms I'll want to fall into. Another voice I'll want to hear saying Welcome home. Welcome HOME.