Not a Fan

So, on my vacation this past week, I started a book called Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. (If you haven't read it, run to Steve's store and get it--it's SO good!) This book is difficult to read because it is putting me through an intense pruning process... Am I just a fan of Jesus or do I truly follow Him? We all hope that we are true followers, but sometimes it is hard to discern. 

I want to share a passage from the book with you. This is a passage that the author has written about Nicodemus:

"Here is the reality that Nicodemus is about ready to have impressed on him: there is no way to follow Jesus without Him interfering with your life. Following Jesus will cost you something. Following Jesus always costs something. For Nicodemus it would cost him a powerful position. It would cost him the respect of his co-workers. It would cost him his source of income and livelihood. It would cost him friendships. It would likely cost him some family relationships. This brings up a very telling question for most fans: has following Jesus cost you anything?"

Whoa. This paragraph alone hit me like a ton of bricks. How much am I truly sacrificing to be a follower of Jesus? I think back on things that I've thrown away to be able to follow God's plan for my life, but did I once make the choice which would really cost something of me? I think that too often we fall into a rut, we get complacent and we stop stepping out of our comfort zones. We make small gestures towards our co-workers, but never step on their toes. We pray for our family members, but don't talk to them about why we are praying for them. To be a true follower, we've got to get out on the field and get our hands dirty. We can't sit in the stands, cheering when things are going our way, and then fleeing for the doors when they aren't. Jesus doesn't call us to be complacent in our lives, but to be disciples, going out of our way to make sure that everyone knows about Him. Think about the NFL for a second. There are millions, probably billions of fans. Many fans are truly die-hard fans, like my Daddy for the poor Cowboys-- he will never give up on that team, even though they are terrible! But other fans just buy the t-shirt and go to the game for some fun. Other fans started young, and have committed their love and life to that game and those are the ones that are on the field. They get out there, week after week, ready to defend their team's honor. That's how Jesus wants us to follow Him. He wants us on the field, bright and early, day after day, ready for whatever play He decides to throw our way! It isn't always comfortable, we don't always know exactly where the path might lead. But we can be certain that if we are truly following Christ, the He will lead us exactly where we need to be. 

I pray that each of you except the challenge this week to be a Christ follower--not just a fan! 

Savannah