Whom Are You Following?

Daily Devotional – Sunday, March 12, 2023
You must follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NKJV)

As children, we develop character through imitating adults. As we grow older, we begin to become independent but not entirely so. We learn more from demonstration than from theory. Consequently, we must ask ourselves repeatedly, “Whom are we following?”

Whom Are You Imitating?

The good shepherd is the one who leads his flock to abundant pasture, water and safety. Such a herder does not walk behind the sheep but before them. His flock trusts him and follow him wherever he leads. If sheep follow the wrong shepherd, they will end up lost, injured or dead.

In the spiritual realm, too, we need to choose our leaders and role models carefully because they influence our character and destiny. In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul presented himself to the believer as a leader worth emulating. He understood the danger of imitating wrong examples.

You Must Follow My Example

He said, “You must follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). In Chapter 10, the apostle had demonstrated that he was a Christian in word and deed. He was so confident that he was copying Jesus that he urged believers to follow his example.

Paul teaches that our ultimate example of godliness and right living is Jesus Christ. In addition, those among us who have walked with Christ closely and are being transformed into His image daily are worth emulating.

Whom Are You Following?

This is a timely message in a world where some secular and religious leaders wield immense influence, which they often misuse to the detriment of their followers. If our leaders model Jesus in attitude, conduct and speech, we are justified to follow their example. The vice versa is also true.

Whom are you following? Ultimately, we must imitate Jesus. Human beings (including church leaders) can set bad examples and mislead us because they are naturally weak. However, as believers, we must live so closely to Jesus that we can tell others (like Paul) to follow our example.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I am following You wherever You lead me. Make me the kind of Christian that others can imitate.