Follow the Leader

 

The word selected for today has so many Hebrew and Greek roots and is used in so many ways that I decided to focus on only verses that strongly speak to my heart and the connotations that come to mind.

The verb LEADS can be negative as in the last part of 1 John 5:16. “ . . . There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.” It puts to mind how many people bail their loved ones out of trouble to the point that consequences are barely considered. Far too many folks are unable to ‘connect the dots’ between their actions and the results. Whether the trouble is shoplifting, eating too much junk food, or constant resistance to authority, being rescued from the consequences can become “a sin that leads to death” or at least great harm.

LEADS is also positive if it is God doing the leading. My OT verses are Psalm 23:2–3. (The Lord) “makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Yet not only for His name’s sake but for my well-being. The Bible repeatedly says that obedience to God’s leading is for our good. Otherwise there are unpleasant or even deadly consequences.

Psalm 68:6. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Proverbs 11:19. Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.

In the NT, Jesus declares Himself the good Shepherd who leads His sheep in contrast to the “thief who comes only to kill and destroy. Instead, Jesus came that they might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:8-15)

2 Corinthians 7:10 also speaks of consequences. The Spirit of God convicts of sin — a rather unpleasant experience, but it has amazing results: “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

When the Lord leads my life, the results are always good and the process is usually good too. I’m not overjoyed when I do something wrong and the Lord leads me to apologize to others. However, asking forgiveness that results in a restored relationship is worth the humility of saying, ‘I was wrong.’

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. ‘Following the leader’ has never been my style. I like to ‘march to a different drummer’ but have realized that Jesus Christ is just that — His leadership is so different from the way others lead. He has no ulterior motives than to bless me as I do His good will. I do not like the confess/repent part but Hebrews 12:11 encourages me: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

A more joyful example is when God leads me to help someone, usually in a way that costs me time, energy and/or money. I could moan and groan at my losses but He is teaching me that the rewards far out-weigh anything lost. He is showing me the consequences of following Him rather than doing my own thing or doing what He says but complaining about it. Letting Him lead may produce fatigue but it also produces deep joy!