Labels, Titles & Follow the Leader

I have been struggling for nearly 2 years with the terms we use to describe who we are to others and it has had me at a loss, until now. This book I have started reading discusses just that and it has been sitting on my bookshelf for probably 5 or 6 years! I just never felt like reading it and didn't even know what it was about. What follows is part paraphrase from the book and part my thoughts in the process of being talked out. This is not intended to be instructional or definitive, but just my thoughts that will probably differ from this in a week from now. Blessings, Alisa

The book was Following Christ by Joseph M. Stowell

NOW, THE POST...

Living in a city, I have seen what graffiti can do to deface another's property. This form of vandelism is common. New buildings, old establishments, personal property. Weather it is a magic marker mustache on a politicians marquee or spray painted gang signs covering the bus depot, the purpose of the graffiti is to either take attention away from the original object or to bring attention to the graffitier themselves.

But what about the graffitit that the Body applies to Christ?

How often has His image become obscured and deformed because of the filters, lenses and personal preferences we have internally as we take Him in and then represent Him to others? How often do our personal convictions overshadow numerous subjects and become more important and more dominant than "just Jesus"?

When we call ourselves "Christians", do others see anything more than a system of laymen whom are following the clergymen, or anything more than Sunday activities wrapped around an ever evolving list of do's and don'ts? Do they see us as anything more than a voice shouting out against humanities moral failures or any different than the cult member with his own agenda down the street?

When we receive God's gift of Christ and acknowledge who He is in us we also seem to adopt a name. A classification label that, to me, seems insufficient in describing who we are and what we are doing.

When we say 'Christian', it focuses attention on our privileges and entitlements. For some maybe it is just a categorical title, like Buddhist, Muslim or Hindu. The title itself doesn't supply much of an image of a calling, action or definition of what we are all about. When I say I am a "Christian", I am saying that Jesus is a part of me, but I am still human and still trying to live the best life I can on this earth and that means I falter.

When we say 'believer' it seems only to focus on a time or a season when we confirmed the fact that we have chosen to believe in Christ and His gospel. Acknowledging mental assent to a system of belief doesn't say much more than that, does it? When I say I am a "believer", well, beliefs vary like the wind. Everyone believes in something and without entering into a relationship or at the very least, a lengthy, detailed conversation, one could not assertain what I believe just by the title. Not to mention that statistics show that the majority of the population considers themselves to be believers in something, yet don't live out any kind of representation of it.

Other sects have opted for 'brother' and 'sister', but immediately you notice that the focus becomes horizontal in terms of our relating to one another. No focus is given to our relationship with Him. And when I say I am a "sister" in the Body of Christ, it not only implies that I am in relationship to those who claim to be my brothers and sisters, but it also implies that I believe as they do, which could turn out to be really wack.

Then, of course, there are all of the 'denominational' labels we give ourselves and each other. When I say I am a member of a charismatic, baptist, evangelical, etc.'church', I have automatically given my character over to 'my church' and I am assumed to believe in everything that organization professes to believe.

It's funny how we tend to hold pre-conceived ideas of an individual person by the organization they claim affiliation with. For instance, if you call yourself a Baptist, my reflexive assumption is that you dress formally for Sunday Morning Service. I think your church probably has a choir and sings mostly hymns. I assume they preach more fire & brimstone than they do mercy & love, etcetera.

It's wrong. It's a form of prejudice. Yet, it is done my millions of people within the Body of Christ everyday with every label we claim. As good and important and even useful as these identities may be, at some point we have to get past the labels to a perception that will demand a more cohesive lifestyle.

I have stumbled across a new label (new to me anyway) and it is accurate in both description and implication. It is "Jesus follower". The very definition of the phrase calls us into an ever deepening intimacy with Him. Traveling in this deepening intimacy and at such close proximity to Him transforms us, resulting in a clearer reflection of His character.

Fully devoted followers resemble mirrors in motion (ie, a disco ball?). We replicate the grace, mercy, love, truth, compassion and righteousness of our Leader. Followers refuse to be satisfied just to be saved and on our way to heaven. For us, Christianity is a relationship, an adventure, a journey. The passionate pursuit of Christ.

Remember the games 'Fllow The Leader' & 'Simon Says' of our youth? Everyone always wanted to be the leader and no-one wanted to follow. The leader was always right. Never caught off-gaurd. Never embarrassed by having to imitate others. The leader always looks good and the followers are the ones who stumble and can't quite keep up.

Growing up hasn't changed our perception much. Only now it isn't a game and the stakes are high. All of life and its outcomes depend on whether or not we will choose to be the leader of our own destiny or a follower of Someone wiser and better fit to lead.

Unfortunately, we resist yielding control. We don't want to give the impression that we are unable to figure out life for ourselves. Like drivers who stubbornly or pridefully refuse to stop and ask for direction when lost. Or maybe it is just our own "I want to's" that lead us astray.

Christ calls us to come after Him. He calls us to count ourselves wholly and without compromise devoted followers of Him. Not as a part-time expression of, or add-on to, our Christianity. I think the term 'Jesus Follower' or 'Follower of Jesus' conveys that we are doing just that by letting Him lead.

....to be continued....maybe