Did you ever play Follow the Leader? It is a very simple children’s game used to teach basic motor skills and observation. Or maybe simply as a fun way to get a group of unruly children to move in a more-or-less orderly fashion from one place to another.

In Follow the Leader, one person is designated as the Leader and all the others line up behind them. Each person in line mimics the movements of the leader. If the leader duck walks, everyone behind them duck walks. If the leader skips and giggles, those in line also skip and giggle. Sometimes the leader accidentally trips. The followers also pretend to trip. Hopefully a fall is not involved, just laughter.

In life, I choose my leader too. Am I watching celebrities and mimicking their behavior? Am I watching politicians, teachers, billionaires, influencers, friends? Perhaps I am even tripping and falling with them.

“For am I now trying to win the approval of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬, ‭CSB‬‬)

As a follower of Christ, Jesus is the only leader I should follow. And I should be careful to follow Him closely. By reading about His life in the Bible, spending time in prayer every day, and listening closely for the voice of His Spirit, I am playing a very important game of Follow the Leader.

Dear God, thank you for your wise leadership. And thank you for making your commands clear and readily available to me. Teach me to keep my eyes focused on you, not on any other so-called leaders in my culture.