Whom do we follow?

Obviously, as Christians, we follow Christ, and Christ uniquely. No other master should ever come before him, and no other person get our allegiance but Him. Though the government is ordained by God, and we are to submit to it in most cases - if it comes down to our allegiance to Christ, "we must obey God rather than man." But the same is true of our "spiritual leaders" - only more so. No pastor should ever have our blind allegiance or loyalty. No mere human being is worthy of such respect. We all have our struggles, our faults, and our areas of rebellion. We shouldn't seek out perfect earthly leaders, nor is salvation found in them. Yet, there seems to be wisdom issues rarely applied to such decisions.

Humans love to put our own standards of judgment out there and subject everyone to them. There is no shortage of people who have lost our respect because they do things differently than we would, or because their style annoys us. Even in important matters such as Theology, we will divide over the minutia and disputed things in a heartbeat. We want to be the pure ones - the self-justified, the self-righteous.

Yet, we are not left without a guide. Someone who is close to Christ, perhaps worthy of being looked up to, is someone with character traits rarely extolled in this culture. Look at their love, joy, and peace. Are they patient, kind, good, faithfulness, and gentle? Do they have self-control? I'm not talking about perfection, but do these things characterize them, and are they growing still in these ways?

Love. Such an abused word. Such an overused word that one wishes for a definition to know what we're talking about. No, this isn't the warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you're near someone attractive. It's not the general feeling of well-wishing on fellow human beings alone. Love is patient and kind. It doesn't envy, boast, or keep a long list of past wrongs. It is not proud, rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered. It doesn't delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth! It always looks out for the other, always trusts, always hopes and always sticks with you. Love does not fail.

None of us live up to this standard fully. Yet, when we look for people to lead us, to teach us - someone to admire - we should look at these characteristics. They are so different from the world's view of who 'leaders' are. Notice, there is no mention of power or charisma - yet someone who is like this will be far more influential in leading people than even a dictator who threatens to take their lives if they don't follow him. They may not be the best orator - but then, men will seek anyone who can tickle their ear. Jonathan Edwards, considered by some as the greatest mind America has ever produced, was by some accounts a rather dry speaker. Yet he influenced countless people in his own generation and in the two centuries that have since followed. Notice too, there is no division between public and private life - for he who is faithful in small things is faithful in the big ones, too. How many politicians beg you to look only at the "big things" they have done (and are doing)? However, you don't have to dig around their past so much - look for these qualities today, and even if there is something in the past, it is in the past and not in the present. But you have to look for these qualities in reality - they're too important to let someone con you. A leader like that - now that's someone I could get excited about following - even if they differed with me on some issues ...