Lead or Follow?

Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."


This little blog and it's humble beginnings are very much me trying to walk out a call I have ignored, or tried to shape it, for the past 30 yrs. At 15, sitting in an algebra class of all places God spoke to my heart. He said, "I have called you to be a minister." For 15 yrs I tried to convince Him He had the wrong person. For the next 15 I tried to explain to Him how this ministry thing was going to go. And here I am. Finally giving in, or at least I think I'm finally giving in.

So as I writhe in the constant panic and pain of this decision to completely commit to Him I still find myself trying to convince God He has the wrong person. Just this morning I told Him that ministers were leaders, and that I'm no leader. After all it seems like I am always the one calling someone, and no one other than family calls me. Wouldn't a leader attract a following?

But in His infinite Wisdom the Holy Spirit reminds me of the error of my thinking. Christian and leadership are completely unrelated to one another. For that matter Minister and Leader are unrelated. We are called to be a light to the world. We are called to be sign post, not leaders. It is not up to us to go and recruit a following, but rather up to us to BE an example of Christ. In simply BEING we illuminate the path for others. For that matter we are not called to be followers either. Sure there is discipleship in this walk with Christ. Both making and becoming a disciple. But this process is really more about becoming a brighter light and not either leader or follower. Think about it. Christ is our head, He's the leader. We are the Body. Relationships between the body parts cause them to move together. The knee may move before the foot in a step, yet it could hardly be called the leader of the foot just as the foot can not be called the follower of the knee. So just BE. Be a light. If you see a light burning brighter than your own, snuggle up closer to them and learn from their example. Shoot, just getting closer will often illuminate those places dark within yourself. And God will cause those places to ignite in Him.

After writing this I came across something from Oswald Chambers confirming this principle. Using Matt 6:26, 28 he said, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, the moon - all these ARE, and what ministration they exert." Look how they serve as ministry he says. He goes on later to say, "He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live." Being a Christian, sitting on a lamp stand in love, God can and will use for His purpose and His kingdom. This use will in all likelihood be mostly unconscious to the one used.

If you are wondering what the photo has to do with being a light it's simple. Community of Burundi is a partnership of the church I attend and the Batwa tribe in Africa. Our church gave hundreds of thousands so that these people could buy their very own land. The results have been miraculous. But there is a new opportunity for you. If you would like men to see your good works and glorify God, then please click this link and make even the smallest of donations to help the poorest of the poor get a new bull.


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