Why Do I Follow Christ?

Yesterday I asked the question: Why did you begin following Jesus?

I remember when I was teaching high school, before going into the ministry. In fact, I was just kind of dipping my toes in the water of faith. I had been away from the church for years. I struck up a friendship with another teacher. He was a fellow surfer and had a pretty deep faith. I remember he often spent evenings and weekends mentoring youth – going to youth groups and soccer games and plays. And this was not because he got extra compensation – he didn’t.

I remember asking him why… Why do you do this? We were in our twenties. We could be surfing more. We could be fishing. We could be hanging out. And he said: You know these teenage years can be so difficult. And with all they are going through, I know it is hard for them to find a place to feel accepted just as they are. And if they don’t find it, they’ll keep looking – maybe they think they’ll find it with alcohol or drugs or the wrong crowd…And I believe God loves them and accepts – no strings attached.

I said, “I believe that too.”  

He said: Then we can’t just tell them. We have to show them… 

Yeah. I believe that too. Not just kids…

In the moment, it was enough of an answer to get me thinking: There’s something to this. Years later when I was in seminary, I worked one summer as a counselor to the homeless through a mission in inner-city Atlanta. One of the other councilors was a former addict himself. He had been on the street. And he would say, “It is only by the grace of God that I’m on this side of the desk… And I believe that if Jesus can rescue me, he can rescue anybody…”

He can rescue anybody… I believe that too. I’ve seen it.

And I remember many different people across the churches I’ve served over the years, not living perfect lives – but making attempts at compassion and grace, and forgiveness. Sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing. Sometimes supporting one another, sometimes not… but I’ve seen enough lives touched, enough hearts changed, enough past healed… And I’ve seen my own life deepen, and my own heart change… enough to believe this path with Christ is a gift.

Well, that just begins to touch on why I follow Christ. How about you? Why do you follow him?

Let us pray: Thank you, O God, for giving us glimpses of your hand at work through other people. Thank you for calling us to walk this path with Jesus – a path of grace, healing, compassion, and peace. Sustain us and bless us on this journey, so that we might be a blessing to you and to others. Amen.