Devotional: Fan or Follower
What is a fan? A fan is a person who is enthusiastically devoted to something or somebody, such as a singer, band, sports team, a politician, a movie, or an entertainer. Fans will go to events or watch the event on TV. Sometimes a fan will follow a team when they have a successful season but when they are not doing very good they will become a fan of a team that is having more success. Fans will know all about who or what they are a fan of. I am a big fan of Michael Jordan. Did you know Michael Jordan scored 32,292 points in his career? Michael Jordan is in the NBA Hall of Fame, 6 time NBA champ, 11 time All NBA, 9 time All Defensive player, 1984-1985 Rookie of the Year, 6 time NBA finals MVP, 5 time NBA MVP, 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist, and he owns the Charlotte Hornets. A fan makes a choice who or what they are going to support. I have followed many teams over the years and sometimes it was a new team every year but what can I say, I am a fan of the teams my kids play on.
What is a follower? A follower is one in the service of another, one that follows the opinions or teachings of another, one that imitates another, one that chases after. Luke 9:23 says And He was saying to them all, if anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take us his cross daily and follow me.” If we are planning on being a follower of Christ we can’t stay where we are. The first part of the verse says “if anyone wishes to come after Me,” He is talking about passionately pursuing Him. God doesn’t want us to be a fan! He wants us to pursue Him with passion that is unchallenged. Then it says to “deny ourselves.” One of the hardest things we will ever do is to deny our selfish sinful desires that we have. Then we have to “take up our cross.” That means we have to identify ourselves with Christ completely even if it means to lose our life for Christ. Another very important word in the is that little word at the end “daily”! We can’t just follow Christ on Christmas and Easter or when everything is going our way, no we must work at it on a daily basis.
Remember what I said about the fans earlier who only follow a team when they are doing well? Matthew 15:8 “This people honor Me with their lips but their heart is far away from Me.” We can say we are Christians and go to church but unless we know God personally we are just fans and not followers. Too many times Christians are just fans of God. We fall on hard times and we want to change teams. We go through some trials and storms in our life and we want to throw in the towel. Being a follower of God is not easy and it takes a lot of work. Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord with All your heart, with All your soul, with All your mind and with All your strength.” Notice how much of you God wants? He wants All of you not just a little here and there but ALL of you, every single day.