Remember when you were little and you used to play Follow the Leader on the playground?
You walked wherever they walked. You touched whatever they touched. You jumped when they jumped, yelled when they yelled, stopped when they stopped. And if you didn’t do what they did, you were out.
Now that you’re older, you probably don’t play a lot of playground games anymore. I’m guessing that it would be a rare occurrence for you to get in a line on your way to class and pretend like you’re an airplane or maybe even a train conductor. For the most part those days have passed you by.
However, there are most definitely ways that the “follow the leader” premise is still in effect in your life. Think about it, because it can play out in some not-so-great ways:
- Maybe you try something you shouldn’t because you think it’ll impress a certain social group.
- Maybe you don’t stand up for your faith because you’re in an environment where you’d be ridiculed.
- Maybe you mock another girl because you’re trying to gain the approval of kids you perceive as more popular.
Each one of those instances is a grown-up version of Follow the Leader. Whether it’s explicitly stated or not, there’s someone in charge of a group, there are unwritten rules, and you have to do what they do or be left out.
And when you play like that, it’s not a very fun game.
Fortunately, though, some awesome, now-that-you’re-older versions of Follow the Leader can have an amazing impact on your walk with the Lord and your influence on others. Like these:
- Maybe you make a point to listen to some solid, theologically sound teaching every Sunday—and you soak up that pastor’s instruction and wisdom.
- Maybe you develop a friendship with someone in your church who’s about ten years older and wants to help you navigate this season of your life.
- Maybe you prioritize spending time with Jesus in the mornings so that His voice—through His Word—is the very first one you hear.
Those versions of Follow the Leader? They’ll change your life. They’ll deepen your relationship with your Savior. They’re the kind of following that will teach you what servant leadership really looks like. And eventually—in the Lord’s timing and by His grace—you might just develop a desire to lead a group of younger girls in Bible study. Or you might want to organize a local outreach through your church’s high school or career ministry. Or you might start to pray that you’ll lead within your friend group—to encourage those girls and help create a culture where honor, kindness, and support are the rule and not the exception.
There’s a time, 1 Corinthians 13:11 tells us, to “put aside childish things.” You’ve no doubt “put away” the brand of Follow the Leader that reduces you to a mimic. So now that you’re older, be sure to follow—and learn from—the ones who follow the only One who really makes a difference.
It’s the very best way to learn how to lead.
1. Who are some leaders you admire? What qualities do they have that you respect?
2. Philippians 2:7 says that Jesus “emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant.” What does that tell us about true leadership?
3. Has there ever been a time when you have followed the wrong leader? What did you learn from that experience?
4. Is there a specific area of your life in which you feel a strong desire to serve through leadership? What kind of leader would you like to be?
Today’s Prayer