The message showed up on my phone at 1:07 a.m. “A friend has started following you on Pinterest.” Social media has created a world in which we can choose to follow people and keep track of their tastes, interests, words, and minute-by-minute activities. Following people with tweets, pins, blogs, boards, and threads has become a new passion in our culture.
Following someone isn’t a new phenomenon. Jesus filled His ministry with invitations to follow Him. His call to follow wasn’t merely a suggestion to walk the same roads. When Jesus invited someone to follow Him, He was offering soul-deep transformation. Following Jesus meant leaving the familiar in order to walk in grace and be stretched and shaped into His image. It required sacrifice, commitment, surrender, and humility. Those who followed Him experienced a life they never could have imagined on their own.
Following Jesus also means that we invite others to follow. Our lives serve as invitations to meet Jesus, discover His love, and explore His deep purpose for our hearts. Every day we join Paul in saying, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
My Jesus Resolution today is to be a follower. My phone message reminded me that every day people are watching how I follow Jesus. Following isn’t always easy. I have a tendency to want to head off in my own direction, set my own pace, or choose my own path. I am thankful for the beloved Christians who walk in my life as examples of His grace. They inspire me to be a better follower, and teach me how to live in such a way that others can follow Jesus because of the way I follow Him.
Casandra Martin 
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