The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee, He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

John 1: 43

 

This is one of those simple statements that carries much more meaning and implication than the words themselves could possibly state. Jesus makes a request; it is not a command unless Philip decides to actually follow; yet, Philip’s life is totally changed in a moment of decision. He will never again walk the same path through his world as he has before, for he will never view that world from the same vantage point as before. Following Jesus changes our perspective from an earth-bound and self- centered one to the heavenly and eternal vantage point of God.

 

Have you ever been traveling along a highway and encountered a major construction project? A project that is so large that the entire identifiable roadway is gone; so, the contractor needs to stop traffic and provide groups of cars with a guide through the dangers of the construction zone. This guide vehicle is called a “Follow Me”, and doing just that is the only truly safe way to navigate through that area. Life is often a major construction project, too. God knows that our world is full of chaos and confusion, and there is real danger surrounding us. The Lord wants to provide us with complete yet easily followed directions for making it through the day. So, He takes the complexity of living and reduces it to some very simple instruction. Jesus says, “Follow me.”

 

Following Jesus means deciding to allow His approach to life dominance over my own. It means giving up my own intended direction for the day to travel His path. It means responding in love rather than with justifiable anger, accepting difference instead of defending my viewpoint, seeking to heal when I could be right, giving away what I have worked so hard to get, and standing up against what is oppressive when that stance could cost me greatly. Still, Jesus says, “Follow me”; then, you will be seated with Me in Heaven. When we follow Christ, He takes us to the high mountain where God lives where we can experience true life and love the people of our lives as He does.