WE ALL FOLLOW

ALL FOLLOW

If you’re a parent, you have probably had a child try to follow you out of the house. One day, my son screamed, “But I want to go with you!” from the top of the stairs as I was headed out the front door. I could hear him crying as I got into my car. The discomfort of that moment tugs on a dad’s heart. If you are a parent, you already know what I’m talking about. You have lived it.

If you love someone, you want them to go with you. It’s that simple. We want to be with people we love. We almost always recognize this even if it seems impossible in some circumstances. So why is it so hard to nail this when following Jesus?

We all follow someone. I want to follow Jesus. I want to follow him in every aspect of my life. I’ve been trying to do that for a long time now. You’re reading this, so chances are pretty good you do, too. We want to follow Jesus. But we must acknowledge that the distance between our desire and behavior is often greater than we’d like. Why? Because stuff seems to get in the way. 

Think about that for a moment. You have this desire to follow Jesus with your life, but it conflicts with your everyday circumstances. In other words, some obstacles get in the way. Impediments that keep us from following Jesus well.

Following Jesus is the best way to live. Only following Jesus leads us somewhere good. Only following Jesus leads us to someone good. But everyone is following something or someone.

Many things that people follow are not good. Many people follow their stuff. They go in search of external satisfaction. This happens when we think something we can attain will satisfy us. They chase possessions, a bigger and better home, a faster car, and more toys. This leads to debt, the rat race, comparison, envy, and more. They chase pleasure, even though following pleasure can never satisfy them in the long run. Following stuff is about worshiping satisfaction.

Many other people are following feelings in search of internal justification. This happens when we think something we can do will make us better. So they chase status, notoriety, worth, and self-esteem. This often leads to becoming a workaholic, falling into depression, fixating on selfishness, or something equally destructive.

It’s a dogged pursuit of wanting to be “okay with ourselves,” “feel good about ourselves,” or whatever. Following feelings is about worshiping ourselves. These are dangerous ways to live!

It’s critical to consider. What are you following? Because we are all following something. 

The stakes here are huge because what you follow is what you worship. I don’t want to worship stuff. I don’t want to chase the bigger house or the nicer car. Not because those things are bad. There is nothing wrong with having nice stuff. I like my stuff. I’ll probably buy more stuff this week. But the stuff in our lives will control our lives if we allow it. 

I don’t want to worship feelings and accolades. I am going to keep working hard. I have three jobs right now. And I don’t care one bit about titles. I’d be okay if no one ever called me “Pastor Nate” again. No one has to call me “Professor King” at school. In fact, I ask them not to. Why? Because I’m not chasing accolades and feelings.

The danger of following our stuff and our feelings is that they make pretty terrible gods. Because ultimately, it means we are worshiping ourselves. What you follow is what you worship.

BLIND RELIGION

Jesus developed a bad reputation among the religious people of his day. But the everyday dudes like you and me liked him. Crowds gathered around Jesus. Tradesmen laid down their tools and followed him. Why? They learned firsthand what Jesus wants you and I to take to heart. Everyday with Jesus is better than any day without him.

The religious folks didn't like Jesus. In fact, they murdered him. He got a bad reputation because he “hung out with tax collectors and sinners”. He ignored the man-made religious rules and only honored God’s law. This especially ticked them off. Jesus made life with God simple. He penetrated the religious bureaucracy, calling its cosmic bluff with every offense. 

The religious guys followed their rules—not God. Well, guess who made the rules? They did. They worshiped themselves and played like they were worshiping God. When Jesus showed up, many of them started “following” him. They would cause trouble, ask questions, and ridicule his teaching in front of crowds.

So, one day, Jesus called them out in front of the crowd. Jesus spoke blatantly out of his authority as the Son of God, saying “These people give me lip service, but not their hearts. They are full of vanity, following human rules.”

What was Jesus saying? You can’t follow him with only words. Following Jesus has to be more than lip service. 

Being a follower of Jesus is about more than a prayer. People pray a token prayer and then act like there’s nothing else to it. That’s a really disastrous way to live. Jesus doesn’t want us to follow him by going through the motions. Jesus wants us to follow him with our life. I’m not talking about moralism. I’m not talking about pursuing a bunch of man-made ideas. I’m not talking about religious duty or rules. That’s the junk the people who hated Jesus focused on. You know, the ones who murdered him.

Jesus called those guys “blind guides.” He encouraged the crowds to leave behind their blind guides as they followed him. He told them, “If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” What makes it extra spicy is that Jesus so often went out of his way to heal blind people. I’m probably wrong, but I’d like to think he turned and gave the religious guys a stare-down every time he healed another blind guy. 

If you’re following man-made stuff, you’re blind. You’re following the blind. You’re still living in the dark. You can’t follow Jesus and live in the dark. He’s the light of the world.

One night as a kid, I was running through a friend’s yard. We were playing tag in the dead of night. There was no moonlight that night. It was pitch black, and we didn’t have any lights. It was dangerous. In other words, it was the perfect little hillbilly game. I was sprinting and stepped off a sidewalk into blackness, right into a ditch four feet deep. I literally never saw it coming. I was so lucky I didn’t get hurt.

Plenty of people are blindly following the blind. They follow the outrage culture because it makes them feel good. They follow some politician because he says just the right things. They follow a singer or actor because they like their style. They follow some writer because he is so witty or intelligent. They may follow a buddy who has a few answers or some mom who makes cool videos on social media; but none of those are Jesus. It's the blind leading the blind.

I was a college pastor for over fifteen years. Each year, we had an event called Battle of the Sexes. We would divide into teams of guys versus girls and play a bunch of games. 

Looking back, I realized one of the games was so dangerous. We would blindfold the whole team, and one person would lay on a stretcher. Then, the blindfolded folks would carry the person on the stretcher. The one on the stretcher had to talk their team through an obstacle course as they raced the other team to the finish line. It was a blast, but it only worked because someone could see.

If we aren’t following Jesus, who are we following? We are following the blind. We are chasing the dark.

COME WITH ME

We need Jesus today. We need him everyday. We need him to rescue us from our own destructive behavior. We need him to help us reject our shame, shortcomings, and condemnation. We need him to help us focus our lives on something good and noble. We need him to help us love those around us. We need him to carry us forward in purpose. 

One of the best examples is Jesus’ interaction with a guy named Levi. Jesus saw Levi working one day and said, “Come along with me.” Levi had let work get in the way. He was collecting taxes. 

Sometimes, we are influenced from the outside in ways we don’t even realize. One day, we may look up and realize we’ve taken too many steps down a different path. How does this happen? It happens because of our everyday choices and decisions. 

Even good things can lead to a life that goes off the tracks. Obligations can become obstacles when we aren’t diligent. Diligent about what? About what God wants for you.

It’s not like it’s a big secret. Jesus wants you to follow him. He invites you to follow him. He compels each of us to follow him. 

Jesus takes our shame, so we will follow him shamelessly! His selfless sacrifice is the invitation into the remarkable—a life spent following the Son of God. Jesus lived and died to make a clear path for us to follow. He calls everyone to follow him. And we have to choose how to answer that call.

We see this in the story of Jesus calling Levi. Tax collectors were hated by their fellow Jews. They were seen as traitors. They were corrupt. They extorted their countrymen. Yet Jesus looked at Levi and said, “Come with me.” 

If you feel like you’ve gone too far or messed up too much, it’s never too late to follow Jesus. Why? Because He wants you to go with him. If you’ve committed your life to Christ, you want to go with him. 

Which is why it’s crazy and confusing when we realize we aren’t doing it very well. Mistakes are inevitable. Distractions are abundant. Perfection lies far outside our reach. But that’s okay. Not because we’re actively looking to self-destruct. It’s okay, because he never expected us to ace it all of the time. He loves it when I ask for his help.

Jesus wants us to follow him. Jesus wants us to hear his heartfelt words declaring, “Come with me”. Upon hearing these words, he hopes we will begin to take our first baby steps in an eternity of following Him.

When I’m playing in the yard with my kids, there’s a significant difference between how my eight-year-old son can follow me and my eighteen-month-old daughter. Ethan can run, play, ride bikes, and be adventurous. Anna tries to run, too. And she falls a lot. There are big differences in the way my kids follow me. One of the main differences is the size of the things that impede them. Ethan might shrug at the waist-high grass if we’re at the family farm. While to Anna, it would seem like an insurmountable green wall.

As we grow in Christ, the impediments change. The hurdles change. A person following Jesus closely for thirty years may not have the same struggles as someone who was just introduced to him. Following Jesus everyday leads to change, but not perfection. There will always be something trying to trip you up. There will always seem to be something else in the way. There’s always the next choice, the next fork in the road, the next potential disaster, or the next hurdle. 

Parents try hard to keep their kids from experiencing this, but God doesn’t seem to do it that way. Why? It’s because He knows what we get to learn. Hurdles aren’t disasters. They are part of the race. We’re supposed to embrace what we learn from the impediments. Take them in stride. 

Jesus didn’t consider the cross and the discomforts of the road as disqualifying experiences. They were hard, sure. But they made it worth it. What He offers each of us is the opportunity to walk in His love and grace. Not free of fault, but in spite of it. 

What happens as we follow Jesus? He takes us on the adventure of a lifetime. One that changes everything when we’re willing to go where he went and do what he did. 

WHAT NOW?

Followers of Jesus walked where he walked. When we follow Jesus closely, we walk where He walked. Our life takes us into contact with people needing God’s love. We have a better sense for where our next step should land. 

We used to ask, “What would Jesus do?” Everybody wore bracelets declaring “WWJD” when I was in high school. It is the question when it comes to following Jesus.

Decide to follow Jesus closely. There’s a good chance you’ll get tripped up along the way. When you do, you’ll bump into Him all over again. Walk where He walked. 

Followers of Jesus love whom Jesus loved. When we walk where Jesus walked, we find the opportunity to love those Jesus loved. Those who are rejected, broken, and in need. Not know-it-alls, but the down-and-outs. We all love a comeback story because we are a comeback story. Following him is our opportunity to add to the story. 

Follow Jesus closely. Walk where He walked. Love who He loved. Give what He gave.

Followers of Jesus give what Jesus gave. Faced with the ones Jesus loves, I am presented with an opportunity to give what He gave—myself. All of us have to choose this. It might mean we give our time, our resources, our attention, or any number of things. Mostly, it means we give what we can. 

This is the kind of life Jesus has invited us into: one that follows closely. Loving who He loved. Giving what He gave. When I’m getting it right, I have a better sense of where my next step should land. If I have let distance creep in, it might be harder to understand how He wants me to take the next corner.

When you walk where He walked, you’ll always find yourself moving in the right direction. Your life goes in new directions. When you love who He loved, you’ll always find yourself surrounded by people who need Jesus. Your life has a new mission. When you give what He gave, you’ll never stop living from the abundance of God’s big plan for life. What could be better than that?

WITH US

EVERYDAY

Roger looked across the table at me with a contemplative look, almost as if he was trying to remember if he'd left his oven on at home. I could tell my promise was still bouncing around in his mind, but I was hoping it would take root in his heart.

“Roger, I’ve met so many young men and women like you over the years.” I began. “People God loves who don’t know what to do about it. They think all this ‘Jesus stuff’ is really good on Sunday; but don’t let it affect the rest of their week.” We all need to learn and remember what Roger needed to grasp.

Jesus is an Everyday Jesus. He loves you. He has a plan for your life. And it is not limited to one day of the week when you wear nice clothes, go sing some Christian version of karaoke, and listen to a big personality give a faith-based Ted Talk.

God’s plan for your life is so much bigger than planned worship services in air-conditioned buildings. It’s more important than our organizations, agendas, and issues. Jesus is about the business of extending invitations. He offers an invitation to a life that is rich in love, purpose, forgiveness, and so much more.

The invitation Jesus extended to us was not a one-time thing. It’s an everyday opportunity. And we need it.

Jesus isn’t some cosmic party pooper. He's not the guy who'll take away your ice cream because there’s too much sugar. Jesus isn’t trying to squeeze all the fun out of our lives. He isn’t trying to turn us into prudish zombies. He offers a way to live that is fulfilling in purpose, unique in application, and full of freedom across the board.

Jesus wants you in his kingdom. To do that, he wants into your life. He wants to be with you, not just on the highlight reel days but also on those “I spilled coffee on my shirt” days. Because, let's face it, those happen a lot more than we'd like to admit.

WITH US

In the Bible story, an angel appeared to Mary—probably giving her the biggest shock of her life—to let her know she’d won the cosmic genetic lottery. She was going to be a mom. The mother of the Son of God. 

The angel gave a directive. He said that the baby would be called “Emmanuel,” but this isn’t a book about Everyday Emmanuel. Or is it? The directive the angel was offering wasn’t about names. It was about more than that. Emmanuel means “God with us”.

God had taken the form of a baby to come to those he loved so much. Jesus is Emmanuel. Jesus is God with us.

He wants to be with us. Everyday. He wants to be with you. Everyday. Jesus wants to be with you in the grocery store, but probably not because he wants to point out that those cookies you’re eyeballing aren’t on your diet. He wants to be there helping you in the boardroom. He’s probably chuckling when you think your muted Zoom call hides your pajama bottoms. He hopes you’ll take him with you on the subway or the next time you catch an Uber. Jesus wants to be with you at home, work, and play. He wants to be with you. Why? Because Jesus is an Everyday Jesus.

How? Well, that’s what this book is really about. But why would Jesus want such a prominent role in our lives? Why would Jesus want to hang out with us so much? Is it because he likes our style? I don’t think so. Perhaps he’s a big fan of human hobbies? No. That’s not it. It's because of how much we mean to Him. Why should Jesus be so important to us? Because of how important we are to Him. He loves you so much. He values you. He treasures you.

ONE

Every person who has experienced the incredible grace of God flood their life knows what it’s like to be valued. A first-century historian named Luke wrote down many of the stories Jesus told. Several of them highlight the importance placed on you when you were far from God. They serve as an incredible reminder of why he went through all that he did. Because you were valued. You are valued.

Luke also captured the idea that angels celebrate the moment someone decides to live everyday with Jesus. It is a celebration like none other. And if you have become a follower of Christ, there are still echoes of rejoicing reverberating through the halls of eternity.

One of my favorite things to learn about someone who shares my faith is how they came to it. The stories are as different and varied as the people I meet and ask. I’ve met people who were compelled to find God after they reached their life’s biggest dream, and it came up empty. I’ve known others who watched all they had ever loved go down the drain because of their reckless choices—and at rock bottom, they looked up to see Jesus had been searching for just such an opportunity to show them his love.

Jesus is always looking for the next one who will accept His love. Jesus is always waiting and ready for someone willing to turn their life around. Only when we step into the loving relationship God wants for us do we begin to live out the potential always there waiting. 

It’s not instant. It’s a start. The party the angels throw is about all of the good things that will come from what is taking place when a lost son or daughter comes home to our Good Father.

TOUCHDOWN

I grew up in church and was no stranger to Jesus as a kid. But one week before my twelfth birthday, I accepted Jesus’s invitation to be part of my life everyday. It happened at the end of a gathering my community had thrown on our local high school football field.

Now, I’ve never played a single down of football in my life. I was younger and smaller than everyone growing up. But Jesus said Heaven has a party when someone decides to spend everyday with Jesus. On a Tuesday night in a small town endzone, I knelt and prayed. Heaven rejoiced! It’s the closest thing I’ve ever come to a touchdown.

Everyone who has experienced the love of Christ in their life has a moment in their story just like mine. A moment when Heaven gasped in excitement and celebrated in full. But not everyday feels like a party, even with Jesus.

In the more than thirty years since that day, I’ve lived through all of the worst days of my life. Heartache, pain, loss, sin, destructive habits, reckless choices, and a litany of bad things that chose me. None of them felt like a party.

If you’ve lived through hard things, you probably know the feeling. It’s the tension between swinging for the home run and striking out, like running out of gas when you’re on your way to the most important appointment of the day.

On days like those, it’s easy for me to be my biggest critic. But I need to remember my value. It’s vital to remember who values me.

You are loved. You are wanted. You are cherished. You were grafted into Heaven’s family by Jesus himself. Who you are is summed up by whose you are—and you’re more than enough. 

On those days when it doesn’t seem so, or when something says otherwise, the voice that’s telling you you’re loved, you’re forgiven, you’re a Child of God can be hard to hear. Still your heart and your soul. Turn off the cell phone. Go for a short drive. Maybe just take a walk.

When everything gets quiet, remember this phrase: “I am celebrated. I am loved. I am His.” Why? Because your life, your soul, and your purpose carry value before God. Jesus wants you to spend everyday with him.

How To Become Wise

We all need more wisdom in our life. I have a firm belief that wisdom is something God wants for us. Why? Because of just how much it will help us. So I wrote a 31 day guide for how to become more wise. Check out the introductory section below.

Buy “The Wisdom Trail Guide” on Amazon.

Welcome to the Trailhead.

I stood there just staring ahead with a big decision to make. I’m sure the importance of my pending choice was etched upon my face like a warrior choosing his weapon. This decision would set the course of my life for the foreseeable future. The weighty decision pressed down on me. I could feel my kids gathered behind me anticipating the outcome of this life-changing decision. Finally, it was time. “I’ll take three cups of chocolate with sprinkles and hot fudge please.” Whew, that was a close one.

Obviously, my choice of ice cream on an afternoon outing with my kids doesn’t carry the weight of the kingdom. But you and I make weighty decisions all the time. Sometimes they are overt decisions like whether to switch jobs, move to a new home, or make some other life altering change. Other decisions are subtle. They are the habits we carve out one choice at a time; in the way we spend our moments, consume our entertainment, or talk with friends.

Nothing we do is wasted. All of it matters—it shapes who we are. Do you know what no one has ever said to me? “Wow, I hope I am not a wise person.” I’ve never received a text that read, “I just made a really huge decision and I hope it was the wrong one.” That has never happened. 

On the flip side, it seems like someone reaches out to me every day needing help with a decision. They are facing a choice. They come in search of a friendly voice. Someone willing and able to offer counsel. Someone who will point them down the trail.

Once upon a time I was really afraid of letting people down. Now, many years later, I know letting people down kind of comes with breathing. We disappoint each other all the time. That’s not me being cynical. That’s called honesty. 

Do you know what would really let my friends down when they look for help? If I offer empty platitudes rather than earned Wisdom. So that’s precisely what I try to serve up; Wisdom.

Let me be really clear about something that won’t surprise you. It’s something my Mom, my wife, and a great many others learned a long time ago. I frequently falter where Wisdom is concerned. I don’t have Wisdom penned up in my backyard where I go to collect some whenever I have a need. That would be wonderful; But weird. Wisdom doesn’t work that way. There aren’t any tricks. There are no shortcuts to Wisdom. 

There isn’t a Wisdom Genie you can carry around in your pocket. You can’t throw a coin into the Wisdom Well. You can’t attain Wisdom wishing upon a star. No pots of Wisdom are waiting at the end of the rainbow. No Wisdom is to be had if you manage to chase down a unicorn.

Wisdom isn’t a miracle. Wisdom is earned. Wisdom is harvested one hard turn of the soil at a time. You acquire wisdom across a lifetime of trial and error. Good luck. I laughed when I wrote that because it sounds so fatalistic. Wisdom isn’t quite that hard to get. It’s not magic, but it’s not the secret prize waiting at the end of the Hunger Games either. 

There is a path to Wisdom. Sometimes it’s a clear next step on a well-trodden trail. Sometimes it’s a bushwhack through the jungle. Either way it is worth it because Wisdom is amazing. It calls to us from across human history. We can find it in poetry. We can sit at the feet of our elders and learn many lessons. Wisdom is incredible.

It’s no small wonder that God put Wisdom on the hearts of the many men who wrote what would come to be known as the Bible. In fact, right in the heart of the book many people call the “Word of God” is what is also fondly referred to as the “Wisdom Literature”. That’s no accident.

Wisdom will guard your heart from many things. But it will guard your head, your home, your wallet, and your well-being too.

Sometimes when I talk to people about Wisdom they get this look in their eyes like it’s too hard a thing to chase down. As if the pursuit of Wisdom is some grandiose quest God dangles in front of us like a carrot on a stick. Look, when it comes to God there are no carrots and there are no sticks. There’s just a really great Dad who loves his kids and wants what’s best for them.

Wisdom is not something God wants from you. Wisdom is something God wants FOR you.

In the heart of the Wisdom Literature is a small book that captures the culture of an ancient people led by wise kings. That’s not something to be balked at. This small book of thirty one short chapters holds the collective Wisdom of a kingdom that has long fascinated the world. And for good reason.

Have you ever found yourself facing a decision only to wonder, “what is the wise thing here?” Most of us have. Still, plenty of decisions are made with little regard for Wisdom. In fact I often sit and scratch my head wondering at whether or not we have decided to ditch Wisdom altogether!

The stories of the Bible show us that ancient people did the same thing. They routinely walked away from Wisdom. They made other choices. And their path suffered for it.

Wisdom carries weight, and it opens opportunities. The effects of wise living shape the world before you in so many ways; Even as the effect it has on your personal well-being shapes you for your own good and the betterment of others.

It would be a shame to leave Wisdom on the table. Instead, what if we leaned in when another shot at Wisdom showed up? What if we treated Wisdom like an old friend? What if we could sit at the feet of Wisdom and catch something wonderful? We can.

While becoming wise is not an overnight event or a one-off magic moment, it is a process that you can both invite yourself into and initiate. God made it possible one statement at a time all through the Proverbs.

What is a proverb? It’s a short saying packed with significance. And the Book of Proverbs is a collection of them unlike anything else in human history.

Over the next thirty one days I hope you will lean in to see what Wisdom has to say. Remember that it’s not asking anything of you. Rather it wants something amazing for you. A life of wisdom is better than you can begin to imagine. 

Wisdom leads us toward God. It brings about a unique sense of how to live. It provides order for how to follow and direction for where to go next. Wisdom cuts off the effect of chaos and invites us into a life that bears the remarkable stamp of someone in pursuit of God’s best life for them.

This short book is not exhaustive. You won’t look up at the end and say, “I’ve arrived at Wisdom.” But hopefully you’ll look up after these next steps together and realize you’re off to a great start.

Everyday together is meant to cultivate another step forward. I’ve written short segments I hope will encourage your heart, your head, and your hands as you set off to see what Wisdom has for you.

I hope you won’t just read it. Information offers us almost nothing until we do something with it. So each daily entry comes with a challenge. Sometimes the step I’m asking you to take is one you’ll do internally. Wisdom has to have a place to reside. You’ll work that in prayer and patience as you reflect on the thought of the day. There are also moments when I challenge you to get out into your world and do something. Both are vital.

As you put it all together you will feel yourself moving. It will seem a small thing if this is all new to you. Don’t be discouraged. Just keep going. If you miss a day don’t beat yourself up. Just don’t miss two.

If you really want to squeeze the trail for everything on offer, gather in the company of some good friends and take the journey together. There are questions at the end of each week to guide a group discussion. I can’t wait to sit around a campfire someday and find out what you’ve learned.

Thanks for checking this introduction to “The Wisdom Trail Guide: 31 Steps to A Life of Wisdom”. If you want to take your next steps toward a life of Wisdom order your copy today.

Where You Will Fill Up

I had lunch with my Brad today. Brad is my best friend. We’ve been friends for decades. I love this dude. He’s like a 2nd brother to me. 

As I was leaving, the fuel light in my car came on. So I did what you’re supposed to do when that happens. I pulled into a gas station. When I went to pump some gas there was a problem. I swiped my card and put in the required information—but no gas came out. Nothing. There was a disconnect between the input and the output. I really needed gas. But I couldn’t get any. I got back in my car, went down the road, and got my gas. No problem. No disconnect. The input matched the output. I filled up the tank.

There are so many people who are empty. They pull right up. They. Need. What. You. Have. If you follow Jesus the people who’ve pulled up to you need the light of life living inside you. They need the joy that lights up your every day world to make a life-giving difference in theirs.

We can’t afford to have a disconnect between the output and the input. We can’t put up borders, boundaries, or hurdles. The invitation to Jesus is simple. “Come to me.” That’s what he said.

People will go where they can get full. They will go where someone wants to be there for them. But they don’t want the fake stuff. They don’t want a show. They don’t want religious hurdles. They don’t want rules. They want gas. They want the thing they need that will get them down the road. They want life in all of its explosive awesomeness. 

The thing about gas is there’s no hiding it. It smells. It’s distinct. The moment it enters the scenario it matters. It’s a game changer. 

Go be a game changer for someone. Make a difference. Help them matter and mean it. Don’t fake it. If it’s at your coffee table, your coffee shop, or your church pew. Connect them with the good stuff. Just a little bit matters. But I bet you have more than just a little.