Fickle Followers

The weather does not seek permission to change whenever it wishes to do so.The weather is usually known for being clement now and in the next moment,inclement.It could be mild in the morning,harsh in the afternoon and cold or rainy at night,just as it wishes.Sometimes,it is pleasant and sometimes very unpleasant, depending on the area,time and season.Nowadays,even experts find it difficult to predict accurately,the changes in weather and climate.The world is faced with this monster christened 'climate change.'It is this same poor weather and bad climate that allegedly took the lives of the polish president,his wife and 96 others.It is currently restricting air travels in europe.The ignorance of the fate of the climate in nearest future has become a thorn in the flesh of world leaders.Simply put,the weather and climate are very fickle.

Football,unlike other sporting activities has become the major sporting interest for millions of people all over the world with children,youths and adults becoming fans of different football clubs worldwide.Some support the local clubs while others are international supporters.Though some claim to be die-hard fans,others find it very easy to jump from one club to another,depending on their performance at a particular time or season.

Just like cancer cells,most fans are quick to change and migrate to other clubs without stress.

According to Dave Branon in Our Daily Bread(ODB),'If you follow sports at all,you know that sports fans can change like the weather.A team's star player can hear 70,000 cheering voices if he does well or 70,000 booing voices if he messes up.'You,who is reading this can sincerely recall how often you consciously praise a player,when he displays some special skills and turn around to completely write him off,when he makes a little mistake,just some seconds later.According to Dave,'Sports figures easily fall from grace because people are fickle-eager to follow the one who makes them feel good,yet willing to turn against that same person if all does not go well.

Scripture contains an example of fickleness that is far more serious.A great multitude in Jerusalem praised,honored and cheered Jesus on the Sunday He entered the city riding on a donkey(Matt.21:6-11).But just a few days later,some of those same people may have been in the crowd calling for Jesus' crucifixion(Matt.27;20-23).On Sunday,they worshipped Him,but on Friday they didn't want Him around anymore.They preferred evil to good and a thief to Jesus Christ.

Let's not waver in our relationship with the Lord.Sometimes we worship Jesus heartily on Sunday,but the very next day,we live as if we find His presence intrusive.Or we tell Him on Sunday that we love Him but then we fail to obey Him throughout the week.Don't be a fickle follower of Jesus.Worship Him everyday-not just on Sunday.'

Worshiping God should be a full time (and not a part-time) experience.

I was invited by a friend of mine to join his group with the name 'Fans For Christ' on facebook.It wasn't easy for me to join because of the word 'fans,'which did not rightly define my relationship with Christ.Though people quickly became members,I made it clear that my relationship with Christ is more than being a fan.A fan merely admires or enjoys what he/she is doing but a fanatic is extremely enthusiastic about the same thing.

We have majority of people who are just bench-warmers in the church,having little or no understanding of the person of Jesus.They have neither encountered Him personally nor experienced the salvation,He gives.They can readily change in response to the slightest persecution and deceit.

With Jesus,while on earth,were three groups of people.The first group was the 'multitude' or 'crowd'that frequently followed Him because of what He offered them.They came around for free food,healing and other benefits.The second fewer group were His followers.They were closer to Him more than the multitudes.It was from the second group that He chose the last group,His disciples.His disciples were fewer than His followers and His followers fewer than the mammoth crowd.His disciples became His closest companions,learning and knowing Him better than the other groups.The closer you come to Jesus,the more of Him you know and the more boldness and passion you acquire to proclaim Him to others.

Fickleness shows ones shallow knowledge of God and lack of love for Him.

Often times,we see some so-called christians doing things that only idolaters can comfortably do.Through our actions,we deny Christ,forgetting that our reward is also denial before God,the Father.Let it be clear to us that we cannot be 'here and there' at the same time.We need total concentration to shake off all distractions,so that we can actually follow God.The Scripture clearly points out the need for us to forget ourselves and daily carry our crosses before following Jesus.

As a matter of fact,our relationship with Jesus should be very cordial.We should strive to become His disciples and not mere followers,not to talk of the sycophantic crowd.

When we practice sin,we simply criticise Jesus,just as we do to our highly esteemed stars.The truth remains that Jesus is neither a star nor a celebrity that can change his or her form.There is no man that can be compared with Him.That is why He deserves our constant worship.Do you call God 'My Father' on Sunday,only to live like an orphan for the rest of the week?