The Power of Two Words: Follow Me

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Jesus could have said, ‘Come join my movement,’ or ‘I’m starting something new—want in?’ But instead, He simply said, “Follow me.” I’m often fascinated by Jesus’ word choice. His words are intentional. The Gospels record Jesus saying “Follow me” thirteen times. Why those words? Because authentic leaders lead by example. They exemplify and teach what they want to see in their followers, and they lead from a place of humility, modesty, and self-giving. The essence of a leader-follower relationship is based on trust and later love. 

From Rebellion to Relationship

I’m not sure exactly when I started following Jesus. Learning about Him as a child laid a foundation that Jesus was God and that I needed Him in life. As a bit of a rebellious teenager, following Jesus was a path that I often strayed from. I wanted “freedom,” and following Jesus appeared restrictive, and to be honest, not that fun.

At the end of my sophomore year of college, I stood at a crossroads, as we often do in life. An opportunity presented—snap out of my spiritual slumber, or don’t. The choice was mine to make. After a car accident that landed me in the hospital, I decided that following Him was a better alternative to what I was doing. The idea that Jesus had a plan for me was clear. Jesus said, “Follow me,” and so I did.

Know the One You Follow

You can’t follow someone you don’t know; it’s not prudent. You may be led astray. So before you follow, get to know them, do life together—chat, listen, laugh, cry. That being said, I had to get to know Jesus, so I dug into scripture to understand what He did, how He lived, what He said, and who He was. I asked questions to those who knew more. And lastly, I had to believe that his message and mission were far more important than mine.

The World vs. Jesus

So why did I decide to follow Jesus? Well, what He was offering was better than what the world was presenting. The world said it will give us freedom and joy if we do what we want, but that joy is short-lived, and the freedom is only perceived. It tells us we will find abundant life in the pleasures of people, places, or things, but that too fades quickly. The world tells us we will find peace and rest if we take more vacations, but that also dissipates.

Scripture said that following Jesus comes with promises. And the promises He offered, I wanted. Here are a few:

• Eternal life: “…whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

• Peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

• Joy: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

• Faith: “…Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes….Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” (Luke 12:23, 25)

• Presence: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

• Provision: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

• Abundant life: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Receiving the Promises: A Life of Faith

Who doesn’t want all this and more in their lifetime? How can we obtain these promises?

We obtain these promises by believing they are truly ours—if we exchange our worries and anxieties for faith that He will take care of all things. When we give Him our burdens and heaviness, He not only carries them, but He sorts them out. By allowing His presence into those secret, scared, and broken places we keep hidden, and know that if we open our hearts, He will bring healing, peace, and joy. And by remembering that He is always with us and never abandons us. (Close your eyes and imagine Jesus with you. Pretty soon, you’ll see Him everywhere, because He said so. Practice, it works.)

Still Following: The Journey Continues

My adventure of learning, watching, listening, healing, and trusting began decades ago. I am still learning how to follow. Do I stumble, question, doubt, and hesitate? A resounding “yes,” but the reservations are fewer because time spent with Jesus helps us believe that He is always with us, He won’t let us down, and His promises are true.

When you spend time with Jesus, your trust in Him grows, and in time, so does your love. And as that love grows, you will follow Him anywhere and do anything. That doesn’t mean we won’t be hesitant or be afraid; we are human. However, He will give us the grace to overcome, and soon, we will speak, listen, move, wait, heal, hug, empathize, counsel, and love, like the leader we follow. The gap will narrow between servant leader and student, and the way we live will begin to reflect the One we follow.

So if you hear Him whisper, “Follow me,” don’t be afraid. It’s the beginning of the most beautiful path you’ll ever walk.

“[We] are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory…” (2 Corinthians 3:18)