Follow the leader, a game probably all of us have played when we were children. You know the one, you pick a leader and everyone lines up behind them. When they go right, everyone in line goes right. When they go left, everyone in line goes left. If they decide to be airplanes, everyone else becomes airplanes. The only time problem occurred was when someone decided they wanted to be leader when it wasn’t their turn. Usually at that point everyone disbanded, going their own separate ways and doing their own thing. Then the game was over.

 

This can happen in the Church. God appoints a leader, people line up behind him, and as the leader follows God, those behind him follow him where ever he goes. But sometimes, as the leader leads to a place that is uncomfortable, a place that is uncommon, some people get unhappy. They begin to think that perhaps they know more than the leader. At this point they begin to complain. They stop seeing the anointing and start looking for the flaws. Suddenly, they try to tear their God given leader down instead of holding up his arms. They begin to cause disunity and a poor taste in the mouths of the unbeliever.

 

I know, there will always be disagreements with leaders. But the fact that we need to remember is that we need to pray for our leaders. And as they follow Christ, we need to follow them. We need to seek the face of God and catch the vision He has given to our Pastor. The church body, leader and lay people alike, need to be united with one purpose. What is that purpose? To see souls brought into the Kingdom. It’s not about us, the color of the sanctuary, whether brother or sister so and so gets to sing a special, or whether the preacher wears jeans or a suit and tie. It’s about Jesus, about hearing His voice and following His leading.

 

So, what about you? Are you lined up with your leader? Lined up in prayer? Lined up in Bible reading? Lined up in reaching out? Lined up in reaping the harvest? Or are you stepping out of line, causing disunity in the body? Just as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, to follow his example as He followed Christ’s example, we should strive to do the same. Follow those who God has set as spiritual authority over us as long as they are adhering and clinging tightly to the Word of God and walking under the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

 

Something to Consider…