Who Are You Following?

What’s trending and who’s trending consumes social media platforms around the clock. Gaining thousands of followers and subscribers is the main goal of many while others achieve this goal naturally.

The contributing factors are based on personality, information, gossip, styles, music, and other hot topics. Whether good or bad, social media platforms are flooded with people following people. Social media platforms have also made it easy to keep up with the latest news when you opt for notifications.

You can choose to watch videos later, or join a live session of a news broadcast, a YouTube commentator, or a Facebook friend. Whoever has gained your subscriber, friend, or follower status, your attention is likely to be held for a substantial period of time.

All of us have our preferences in terms of who we follow based on our interests. For example, I enjoy following people who provide business coaching and inspirational advice.

My reason for doing so is based on my desire to become a better person. These individuals have offered transparent information about their mistakes and successful strategies.

Some people enjoy following people who engage in entertaining behavior of different types whether beneficial or not. Many people are also influenced to do extreme things while others are encouraged to achieve positive goals.

Follow Me

These two words were spoken by Jesus when he recruited his disciples. The men he recruited for his kingdom work were John Zebedee, Simon called Peter, Andrew, James Zebedee, Philip, Judas Iscariot, Thomas Didymus, Judas/Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, Bartholomew/Nathanael, Simon the Zealot, and Matthew Levi.

These men were busy with their businesses when Jesus came along and commissioned them to follow him. Without hesitation regarding what they were leaving behind, they accepted his invitation to trust him with their future.

During one of Jesus’ journeys, a young man approached him and inquired about the requirements to inherit eternal life. Jesus gave a brief summary of some of the commandments we all should follow, and the young man agreed that he had followed those commandments since he was young.

Jesus told him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, take up the cross, and follow him. After thinking about all of his material wealth, he changed his mind about following Jesus and went away grieved.

Jesus went on to conclude that it’s hard for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God (Mark 10:23). He also said that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:25).

Baffled at the analogy spoken by Jesus, the disciples asked, who then can be saved? (Mark 10:26).

They wondered if you had to be poor to get into heaven. Jesus understood their bewilderment and stated that … “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26).

In other words, Jesus understood the distractions that most people deal with concerning their wealth, how the growth potential can consume a person’s thoughts, or how selfish you might become if you don’t have a balanced understanding of how of God wants you to use your wealth.

Peter told Jesus that they had left all and followed him. Jesus went on to explain what benefits would be gained as a result of sacrificing one’s current comfortable life.

Unfortunately, the young man did not stick around long enough to hear about this compensation plan. In Mark 10:29-31, Jesus said that anyone who leaves all that they have (i.e., houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, and land for his sake and the gospel would receive an hundredfold now in this time, and in the world to come eternal life).

Who’s Challenging You?

Jesus challenged those who followed him. He spoke to his followers in parables that had thought-provoking clues about how to inherit the kingdom of God. Many who followed him including critics were often confused by his parables while others were amazed at the level of wisdom he possessed.

Are the people you’re following encouraging you to become a better person or providing information that can lead you toward a brighter future? If not, maybe it’s time to rethink your network path.

On the other hand, if you have a significant following, are you challenging them to do the right thing, change unhealthy habits, or sharing information with them that can help them become successful? If not, then maybe it’s time you reassess your recruiting purpose and strategy.