My Text is taken from Ephesians 5:1-2, which states, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.”
My thought is, “Traits Leaders Love to see in Followers”. All good leaders are first excellent followers.
Anyway, let me go on with this thought by giving you my definition of a good follower. A good follower is one who models both the message and the Messenger, aka, Jesus Christ. Paul possibly believed in that description of a follower. He told the Philippian church in no uncertain terms to ‘follow me’. Here’s how he put it in Philippians 4:9, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” He also stated in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” I have personally learned to appreciate rare and remarkable followers, who make their life’s ambition modeling Christian Grace as it is taught by the example of their leader.
Let us try on the following traits for size. Compassion is being moved by the needs of others. Honesty is holding the hand of faith. Confidentiality is keeping secrets securely. Purity is when we wash our hearts and minds clean, daily. Diligence is working at it big time. Punctuality is being there before you are late. Thoughtfulness is being mindful of others. Responsibility is being true to duty. Self-control is staying calm when there is no room to wiggle. Determination is to keep trucking regardless. Patience is to just sit down and wait. This list could go on and on, but these are a few things that are necessary, and a leader will appreciate in a follower. However, let me narrow this down for you and give you the top seven. These are attributes taught as an example by the leader and digested and implemented by the follower.
Firstly, the follower who has a servanthood mentality. The Apostolic ‘fathers of the faith’ made this top priority! Romans 1:1 begins, “One Paul, servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle…” Philippians 1:1 begins, “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ…” Titus 1:1 begins, “Paul servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ…” James 1:1 begins, “James the servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ…” 2 Peter 1:1 begins, “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ…” and, Jude 1:1 begins, “Jude the servant of Jesus Christ…” Simply put, a servant is one who serves others. They see a need and take personal responsibility to meet that need. Dwight L. Moody said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.” Here are some questions most asked by good servants. What load is my leader carrying right now? How can I assist in lifting that load? In what ways can I help? Is the leader doing something I could do for him or her? Servanthood is not difficult to define as we can see by these few questions.
Secondly, the follower who accentuates the positive and eliminates the negative. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” All leaders need followers who park their minds on the sunny side of the street. These are followers who think positive thoughts and see situations in a positive way. Jesus wants you to say yes to yourself! He will help you to become what you need to be as a good follower and subsequently a powerful leader. He will give you qualities such as enthusiasm, likeableness, self-confidence, solution consciousness, initiative, creativity, generousness, perseverance, persistence, action oriented and self-oriented. The follower who parks his mind on the sunny side of the street is always valuable. He is an asset to both the leader and the organization. Louis Timberlake said, “The top two reasons people fail is: number one, They anticipate failure, and number two, they fear failure.” Psalms 53:5 says, “There were they in great fear, where no fear was…” Let me illustrate this with a short story about a salesman who had a problem. “The salesman’s car had a flat tire. The second problem was that someone had ‘borrowed’ his ‘car jack’. He had a third problem, on the way walking to the distant house, negative thoughts began to fill his mind. Things like, ‘They won’t have a jack.’ ‘They won’t lend me the jack.’ Finally, when he arrived at the house and the door was open, he shouted, “Keep your old jack, who needs it anyway!” This epitaph was written on a pessimist tombstone, “I told you so.” The leader always treasures followers who are always thinking positive thoughts about God, church, life, and family.
Thirdly, the follower who is hungry for growth in their life. Never forget, no tree is ever fully grown, but it is alive. It is constantly growing and evolving. How old is your house of clay? A polite way to say how old are you. It really does not matter! As you look into the mirror and behold the scratch marks, scars and wrinkles on your exterior, just remember, Abraham was not really productive until he was 100 years old. Moses never really came into his life’s work until he was 80 years old. Caleb conquered his greatest mountain at age 85. Samuel was an aged man when he established the ‘school of prophets’. Just remember if you’re alive, God wants you to be a growing, evolving and maturing person. Ephesians 4:15 says, “But speaking the truth in love, you may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” 2Peter 1:5-8 states, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18 says, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” Leaders love followers that grow because they are, hungry, seeking, reaching, and ambitious people. There are three Cs of growth. Communication, where is growth needed? Change, what areas must change to facilitate growth? Cost, what price will I pay for growth? Challenge, am I able and willing to achieve this growth?
Fourthly, the follower who has ‘follow through’ ability. Persistence is present in someone who does not wilt or will not cave in. As a leader I have great need to have those around me who can take an assignment and finish it with excellence and diligence. Mark it down my friend, the ‘Oh Well’ person, and the ‘Oops, maybe tomorrow’ person, is no match for the problems or challenges of life or the Kingdom of God. They are always falling on their face. The value that they bring to the leader and organization is very little, if any. The ‘follow through’ person, however, is a ‘ready’ person. Paul told Timothy, in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” The ‘follow through’ person is a ‘finisher.’ 2 Timothy 4 :7 states, “I have fought a good fight I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.” They are an ‘exact’ person. Ezra 7:23 says, “Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?” The ‘follow through’ person puts ‘Hallelujah’ on the lips of the leader! Can you understand why? Well, my answer would be, the ‘follow through’ person makes the leader feel confident, because they can count on that guy or gal with anything without concern.
Fifthly, the follower who is loyal. Loyalty means, you want the one you serve to be blessed. To Illustrate let us look at Eleazar, Abraham’s servant who said in Genesis 24:12,“And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.” Loyalty means, that the one you serve trusts you. Potiphar’s trust of Joseph his servant in Genesis 39:7- 9 illustrates this. “And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Loyalty means, that you serve the way you are asked to. This is seen in Jesus mother when she told the servants in John 2:5, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” Loyalty means you never usurp authority. This is seen in Absalom when he wrongfully stole the heart of the men of Israel. 2 Samuel 15:6,12 and 18:10, “And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.” Always remember that authority, untimely gotten, will untimely die. Listen to this small excerpt named ‘Hanging by a Thread’ by Mark Rutland.
“Loyalty never usurps authority. It refuses to accept inappropriate love or praise that might properly exalt another. Loyalty is the glue that holds relationships together, makes families functional, armies victorious. Loyalty is the fabric of society. Without loyalty no soldier can dare to hope that his general cares whether he lives or dies. No captain can expect an inconvenient order to be obeyed. Without loyalty, marriage has become a mine field. Companies become dangerously paranoid.”
Thomas Henry Uxley said, “Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. It is the first lesson that ought to be learned, however early a man’s training begins, and it is probably the last lesson he learned thoroughly.”
Sixthly, the follower who has cultivated discipline in their personal life. Not enough is said or written in our day about discipline. Let me give you my definition of discipline. Discipline is the mark of maturity. Discipline is the ability to regulate one’s conduct by principles and judgment rather than by impulse, desire, social custom, or outside pressure. Discipline is the art of self-subordination. Discipline is the ability to wait. It is being fine with delayed gratification. Jacob Ford said, “It is either discipline or decadence.” Followers who have disciplined their appetites, such as for food, sex urges, fashion statements, fame, etc., and emotions such as flirting, likes and dislikes, etc., and moods, such as speech, and priorities,’ are far ahead of the game. Adjustments and acceptance of authority can only bring joy and satisfaction to the leader and to the follower.
Number seven, but by no means the least, followers who are grateful. Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In this day and age, husbands are not grateful enough, wives are not grateful enough, children are not grateful enough, saints are not grateful enough, and this is a sad truth. Basic understanding of gratefulness is that everything we have, was given to us. Furthermore, everything we have, we do not deserve. For instance, the moment we were born, we already owe someone nine months of room and board. This debt we will never really pay back. Let this soak in. Most times in life, the more we have, the more we want and more ungrateful we are. We begin to think we deserve things; we begin to depend on blessings and favor and then we begin to demand them and more and more attention. Here is a shocking scripture. Romans 1:21 states, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, their foolish hearts were darkened.” Note thankfulness turned their hearts dark. Note as well, gratitude is not a gift, it is a choice we make. None can deny that ungratefulness is a major characteristic flaw. When we find this in our lives, we need to make the necessary arrangements to repair it and eradicate it. How can we fix it, you might ask? Well, let me give you three ways of how we can cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Firstly, realize your indebtedness to God, life, and others. Secondly, begin to verbalize your appreciation for all these, daily. Thirdly, visualize your life without the help of God and others, and you will begin to see how you have been extremely blessed. That is the full master plan in a nutshell, and it works. Quietly and without fanfare I admonish each of us to start to work on it. Your leader will start to see the difference in you almost immediately in a big way.
God has called each and every one of us to be followers in some way shape or form. Once we take on that challenge, we can then remain servant minded, positive, growing, follow through, loyal, disciplined, and grateful, followers or become dynamic leaders, if God is calling you in that direction. However, as you have heard said, “You should not get the cart before the horse”, because you will see or not have any forward motion or success in your life. A follower becomes a great leader, not the opposite. Don’t just be the sluggard who follows because you must, or because you are embarrassed not to, or because you are afraid. Be that one who does so with joy in their hearts and a great desire and ambition to please their leaders, and moreover, God. Colossians 3:23-24 admonishes us, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Though followers do not serve in the lime light, they are seen by the One who truly matters and will be handing out our inheritance on that appointed day. Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Begin increasing your value today as a great follower, laying up your treasures in heaven, where moth and rust will not destroy.