Ghost Follower

Within the world of social media there are those known as "Ghost followers". According to Wikipedia, "Ghost followers, also referred to as ghosts and ghost accounts or lurkers, are users on social media platforms who remain inactive or do not engage in activity. These users follow active members, but do not partake in liking, commenting, messaging, and posting." Ghost followers may be generated from actual humans or from bots designed to hack, lurk and or scam the user of the social media account.

​This idea was brought on by the explosive growth of online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. People want to stay loosely connected without every truly identifying themselves as followers or supporters. They're curious but not yet willing to throw their hat in the ring. They're actively inactive. 

As I thought about this trend I was reminded of the call on the lives of Christ followers to take up their cross and follow Jesus. Bible Gateway records Jesus words like this, "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me." What did Jesus have in mind when he told his followers this? Follow at a distance? Follow when convenient? Follow when comfortable? I'm confident that His intention then and now is that we follow always. His intention is that we stay in lock step with His movements. His intention was that we hang on the very words that flow from His Spirit. 

What would it look like for you and I to hang on the very words of Jesus? What would it look like for you and I to become so consumed with His work in our lives and in the lives of those around us that everything else just faded away? The prayer that I have for my life is that I would allow all else to slip quietly into the background, that my eyes would narrow and that my gaze would lock onto Jesus Himself. "Lord, if I am guilty of ghost following You, please forgive me. I pray that you would highlight those times in my life and give me the strength to stay focused and to not allow my relationship with you to slip into the background. Give me discernment, give me discipline. Amen." Be encouraged and keep moving forward.

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