What You Follow Tells a Story About You
Proverbs 12:11 says, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.” If you follow worthless things and pursue empty activities, you will be telling others you lack sense. Sense is perception. In other words, you are broadcasting your lack of perception about what is valuable. It is a wise person who follows the Shepherd.
Who You Follow Will Create Similar Followers
You will get two types of followers when you follow the Good Shepherd. The first type is within your life, and the second is external.
Psalm 23 is a familiar Psalm of David about the Lord as the Shepherd. A shepherd leads, and wise sheep follow. The first portion of the Psalm says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Even when life is difficult, “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” And when life is unbearable, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
The First Type of Follower of a Shepherd Follower
Something amazing happens to the thoughtful sheep who follows the Good Shepherd. Their lives might be full of things that would cause others to break, but they see and experience life differently. They recognize they have received mercy and goodness from the Shepherd. This gift is beneficial for life on planet Earth and for life with the Shepherd forever. David, in Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
The Second Type of Follower of a Shepherd Follower
The second type of follower is other people. One set of followers I seek to influence is our grandchildren. Recently two of our granddaughters sent Cindie and me messages asking us to support them in prayer and in financial help for missions trips they plan to take this summer. One granddaughter is going to Haiti and the other is going to Texas. Both seek to make a difference in the lives of others, so we are giving and praying. Our third granddaughter is making a difference in the lives of others at Madison College, at Camp Fairwood, and at Beehive Homes.
Six years ago, on March 21, 2017, I wrote the first of several letters to our grandchildren in my blog. I started by saying, “Too often some things you learn in life are not passed on to the next generation. That is not wise living. This letter is the first of several I hope to write to train and encourage our grandchildren.”
I also said, “God is far more interested in your heart than He is in how much money you have. The Bible warns against greed and encourages generous and cheerful giving. It says that borrowing money is unwise and that the borrower is a slave of the lender. Proverbs 3:9 says we are to honor the Lord with our wealth.”
“We are praying that you will be good disciples of Jesus and understand the value of true riches. ” I think they are following the Shepherd too. That is so encouraging.
How to Identify a Follower of Jesus
They know the Shepherd’s voice, they listen for the Shepherd’s voice, and then they follow the Shepherd.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” John 10:1-4
Five Minute Friday
This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.
All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.
Know Your Flocks & Herds 
Some say that what now fills my day
has no worth to God nor man,
gives no honours, no wage-pay,
but I still do what I can
to the very, very best
of that which my hands are yet able,
and in answer to the test,
I will put upon the table
that which cancer’s left to me,
red oak formed with care and love
as rifle stock, but more, to be
an offering to God above
that though my strength and vim now die,
I still can care, and still will try.
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My husband and I are currently reading through Proverbs, enjoying the wisdom. It is a blessing to read about your guidance and support for your grandchildren. We all need to be prayerfully involved with the next generation!
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My wife and I write very similar letters and texts to our older grand children. The smaller ones get my stories in the boat and will in the little retreat cabin in the woods.
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I like the title of your blog. Thank you for the reminder that there are others following us, most importantly our children, and other family, as we follow Jesus. We are leaving a legacy for them, and all those that follow when we follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Blessings to you.
FMF#12
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Liked — “Their lives might be full of things that would cause others to break, but they see and experience life differently.”
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