What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Does it mean that I act a certain way? Does it mean that I think a certain way? Does it mean that I’m a certain degree different from the world? What’s the magic number for that degree of difference? Why do we even ask? Should I even ask?
The reason I am rhetorically asking this is because I often feel like I am too much like the world. Actually, right now I feel like that.
It’s not in a giant sex-addict techno-loving football-vomiting hold hands and sing kumbaya with the world sort of way, but it is subtle.
To be specific, I like television. I grew up having it on constantly, even if I’m not watching it. My wife didn’t. Her family didn’t have cable until she was in high school. So, she doesn’t like television as I do…and that makes me feel bad…like I am a bad person for liking television. Like I’m tilted towards the world a little too much to make me not fully following Jesus.
But, I want to follow Jesus. And, I like television. But obviously I love Jesus way more than I even like television. And, I know that. And, I don’t think it is getting in my way of following Him, but what if it is? Well…then I should forsake all to follow Him (Luke 5:11, 9:23, 14:33).
So, since I want to follow Jesus, and since I don’t know if watching television is making me a certain degree closer to the world or not, I must see. I must fast from it. I must give it up. Jesus is of so much greater worth than television.
So, I’ll let you know how this goes. I’ll let you know if it was causing me to be too much like the world or not. We’ll go on this journey together.
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Let’s find out.
Jacob Haywood 