“Granddaddy, you want to play follow-the-leader?” Common sense whispered “No! But I heard my voice say “Sure!” So the people sitting on the park benches were treated to the spectacle of a grown man school-hopping behind his five year old grandson down the sidewalk along the lagoon behind the Science Place at Fair Park. It was not a pretty sight! Then we walked sideways, and then backwards as numerous observers smiled indulgent smiles.
But, hey, we human beings have been playing this game since Adam and Eve had enough descendants to provide some who could lead and some who could follow. The major newspaper headlines were concerned with 38 followers who followed Marshall Applewhite in suicide calculated to project their spirits into orbit to meet a U.F.O. And you thought a school-hopping grandfather was ridiculous!
A cult expert with one of our universities was quoted in one of the articles pertaining to shocking event: “There are as many as 2,000 cults advertising on the Internet and more will appear as we approach the end of the millennium. One reason for this is that people have been disappointed in their spiritual leaders in mainstream religion and have turned to alternatives.” If he meant leaders like Jim and Tammy Faye, Robert Tilton and Jimmy Swaggert he has a valid point. But is not the real problem that people are following the wrong leader? If our faith is weakened because of the weaknesses of fellow frail human beings, our faith was misplaced!
Jesus Christ is the only leader that has arisen since the world came into form and shape that can say: “Follow me.” And he is the only leader we can totally follow without any fear of disappointment. Even his bitterest enemies couldn’t come up with anything when they were asked, “What evil has he done?”
Peter, the apostle, said, “…God raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.” (I Peter 1:21) In chapter 2:21 he continued, “…because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” It is a part of our human makeup to follow the leader. But the difference between heaven and hell is picking the right leader!
