It is never a matter of if we will follow someone or something. It is who or what we are following. It may be a person, a dream, a set of goals, material pursuits or an image of what we perceive to be the perfect life. We pursue something- following with varying degrees of enthusiasm and resolve. The sluggard says, “I follow no one or nothing.” But, they actually do. They follow comfort, ease and the path with least resistance.
The answer to the question of what or who we are following is not discovered by what we state it to be. It is where we are actually going. Better stated, it is measured by the places we end up along the way. And, the best way to discern where we are going is to see where those who follow us or follow with us end up- our friends, children. It is easy to tell ourselves a lie about where we are going than it is to see the naked truth about where others we influence are going.
The simple truth about whether our claim, “I follow Jesus,” is true or not is marked by whether or not we see those we influence getting closer to Jesus or not. In other words, “the proof is in the pudding” and you are the cook.