Would You Follow You?

Ruth

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

—1 Corinthians 11:1

Friendships are not optional in the Christian life. They are necessary for sustaining us through all that life throws at us. We see the perfect picture of community in God as Father, Son, and Spirit. Joined together in oneness, love, and intimacy, our need for community mirrors the very nature of who God was, is, and always will be. We were created for deep and meaningful community.

But as much as friendships can be a gift, they can also be dangerous. The very relationships God invites us into as places of refuge, acceptance, support, and encouragement can turn into ripe environments for dragging us down.

Our closest friendships are usually with the people we feel most comfortable around. We let our guard down. Feel safe to be who we really are. While these are good qualities in a friendship, we can also lose sight of the truth that we are called to raise up those we are in relationships with. It can be easy to let friendships become a swamp of gossip, selfishness, and an inward focus if we aren’t careful.

So don’t lose sight of the real goal of friendship—becoming more like Christ. Community itself is not the end goal. It is a means to growth and maturity. God wants to use you as the kind of friend others want to be like. A friend others want to follow. His heart for you in friendship is to be loved and encouraged for sure, but He also wants you to elevate those around you.

Jesus didn’t just create a community. He was on mission. He invited others to join Him on a journey of living for God’s purpose and glory in the world. As the apostle Paul did, we can humbly invite others to follow our example as we follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Are you making those around you better, more like Christ? Or have you become too comfortable in your friendships, letting others drag you down? Here is a question to wrestle with, pray about, and strive to answer with the help of God’s Spirit at work in you. If you weren’t you, would you follow you?

Lord, I love You and praise You for Your grace. Thank You for saving me and calling me into friendship with You. Give me wisdom to grow into being the kind of friend worth following. Help me see my friendships differently and know the significance of my role. I want to follow the example of Jesus as I strive to be an example to those who are following me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Where have you noticed the tendency to become too comfortable in friendships?

What needs to change most right now in order for you to become a friend worth following?