Are you worth following?

Just got my tale handed to me from a guy in Texas. Actually it was through a message from last years Right Now Conference by Tim Ross of the Potters House in Texas. The message was a challenge to make sure that we are the person that others should be following.

If you consider yourself a leader then you are the guy in the front of a line on the elementary school playground taking all of those behind you where you want them to go. If you are the leader then you are the one at the front of the line that is being imitated by everyone in the line behind you. I know it may be a bit over simplified but in essence that is what you are doing as a leader.

Do you ever stop and consider where you are taking them and what they are imitating.

In Romans 12:8 Paul encourages those who have been given the gift of leadership to take that responsibility seriously. I take that responsibility very seriously...or at least think that Ido.

Tim Ross brings out 1st Corinthians 4:3 where Paul speaks these words...
"For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to IMITATE ME!"

It's one thing to play a silly little game on a playground where you see just where you can get people to go and how funny you can get them to act. But it is a CRAZY BRAVE thing to URGE...not just ask...but insist grown folk to "IMITATE ME, follow me, do what I do". But Paul is not just telling people to follow him up a hill or through the swings, flapping their arms while barking like a dog.

Paul is telling them in 1st Corinthians 11:1
"You should IMITATE ME as I IMITATE CHRIST."

As a Spiritual Leader (whether you are a pastor, church staff, department leader, FATHER or MOTHER, or BELIEVER) it is our responsibility to lead other to and in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Could you, can you, make the same declaration as Paul..."IMITATE ME as I IMITATE CHRIST. Because, if you imitate me then you are becoming more like Christ?"

If they did imitate you are they be becoming more or less like Christ?

OUCH...I know it hurts me to...

But think about that for a moment.

We have those that we are leading because we have been given that place or position. Then there are those around us who are following without ever being asked to do so. They do because of our relationship with them. Maybe they have seen you pass by and have just jumped in line following us around the playground.

Either way we have been given the "gift of leadership"and we must take that responsibility seriously. Imitate Christ...so that when they imitate you...they are realy only imitating Him.