Leading and Following
1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
Leading and following. The author here says we led and you followed. And then, in the next verse, you yourselves became leaders and now others follow you.
Do you see that in these verses? Became followers, became examples. We set an example and you followed it. You set an example and others followed you. You followed our leadership and you became leaders whom others could follow.
The reality of your Christianity is seen in how you follow and how you lead.
Can you say that? Are you leading? Are you following? Who are your following? Who is following you?
Prayer: That each of us would follow godly leaders. That each of us would make ourselves teachable to those who should be leading us.
Prayer: That each of us would set an example for someone else to follow. That each of us would lovingly and compassionately find others who are in need of an example and provide one for them.