Following

I was a new HR Manager for Frito-Lay in 1977 when I took the flight to Miami for a three day introduction to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale sales region. Jerry Cavitt, the Division Sales Manager, met me for lunch at the Airport Holiday Inn where I was staying. The lunch was a really good start to my work in Florida. Jerry and I got along quite well. He accepted me to the point of asking my help in identifying a potential problem with one of his District Managers. As we prepared to leave the Holiday Inn, Jerry told me to follow him to the regional office in my rental car.

That was fine for the first two blocks. But, I lagged back a bit too much and got stopped by a red light. I could see Jerry’s black Ford LTD almost a block ahead. Then, as the light turned green, a large delivery van and another car turned in front of me. Initial efforts to get around them on Hialeah Drive proved futile. When I broke free just past NW23rd Ave, Jerry’s black Ford was nowhere in sight. I had no idea how to get where I was going. It was 1977. No GPS. No cell phone. No internet maps. I was lost. In fact, I was frantic. New job; new relationship…just follow Jerry…but I blew it!

More recently Diane and I have had several GPS systems in cars and on Garmin devices. For some reason, we have always called the female instruction voice Michelle. Michelle expects me to “follow” her commands when I am driving. Mostly I do, but not always. Especially when I’m pretty sure I know a better way. That doesn’t always work out so well. Diane believes that Michelle is genuinely disappointed in me!

I eventually reached the Miami warehouse that day…after waiting sufficient time for Jerry to make it there…by stopping at a phone booth outside a rather scary convenience store in Little Havana and sheepishly calling for detailed directions.

“Follow me.”  It sounds simple enough.

Until you lag a bit, stop and lose contact.

Until things get in the way of seeing the one you’re following.

Until you think you know a better way.

There were so many times that Jesus told His followers…and us…to “Follow Me.” Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17, Matthew 8:22, John 1:43, John 21:22, Luke 9:23, and on and on.

People often say: “Follow your dreams.” Or, “Follow your heart.” Nothing wrong with those per se, but they often lead us on quests that never reach the hoped for destination. Or, even if they do, those destinations often only provide short term satisfaction.

Today’s world has a whole new perspective of “following “.  People get paid if they have a huge number of “followers” because they are trying to influence the behavior of those “followers,” usually to buy something. I do “follow” some people and groups and organizations on Instagram, and check on them occasionally. But in this new way of following, I only look to keep up with what they are doing.

Informative? Sometimes. Amusing? Maybe. Transforming? No. 

Following Christ is different. I can’t just occasionally look at what He did. He gave us the map and His Holy Spirit to guide us. 

The destination is Him! I need to know Him. I need to follow closely enough to Him through my absorption of His word and through communication with Him in prayer that I am living in Him and He is living in me.

I can’t let circumstances hold me back.

I can’t say I’m too busy.

I can’t let things get between me and Him.

I can’t just ignore His instructions and go my own way.

I can’t let my own desires, instead of His Lordship, rule my choices and my direction.

Looking back…I could have kept up with Jerry’s LTD that day. I let things come between me and him. I was too timid because I was in unfamiliar territory. 

Unfamiliar territory…like where Jesus wants to take me.

Like denying myself.

Like taking up my own cross.

Like becoming a fisher of men.

Like turning the other cheek.

Like loving my enemies.

Will you follow Him? It requires much more than clicking a button at the bottom of the screen on Instagram.