Traveler or Squatter
I often call myself, A Follower of Jesus. I think that captures the essence of what being a Christian is all about. We have committed ourselves to the person of Jesus first and foremost. Not to the church. Not to a set of beliefs but to Jesus. The corollary is I need to be where Jesus is, doing what Jesus is doing. Living under his direction and guidance. (Follower: One that follows, especially: One who accepts the guidance, command, or leadership of another)
When Jesus was on earth, as a man, he had a group of followers we often call the disciples. People who were committed to being with him. The problem was Jesus traveled a lot. He seems to have often been on the move from one town to another. From one group to another. From one situation to another. To follow Jesus they too had to be on the move both spiritually, emotionally and physically. Mark 1:38 – 39 But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So He traveled throughout the region of Galilee.
That has ramifications for me today. If I am a follower of Jesus I have to be in a different place constantly. Not necessarily physically but minimally spiritually.
I would love to say that that is a characteristic of my life. But the truth is that I often find a good comfortable spot and settle in there. That requires little spiritual energy. Then I am not a Follower but a Squatter. (Squatting s the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. Wikipedia) Jesus has gone on someplace else but I am still in my squatting mode. The longer I squat, the more comfortable I get. The voice of Jesus saying “Come on. I have something to show you over here” gets harder and harder to hear. Comfortable, stable, secure. A squatter not a follower. A squatter is not developing. A squatter is static. A squatter is stagnant. It can get boring fast but it is comfortable. I can’t help but believe there are a lot of people and churches like me. We have squatted, got content and Jesus is off someplace else and we are amusing ourselves doing our own thing wondering what is wrong with our Christian experience.
I have seen churches who are stuck in the 50’s. Same music. (I pastored a church not too many years ago that still did Cantata’s written in the 50’s). Same sermons. Still in an “against” mode. Still doing evangelism the same way. Still having evangelistic revivals that only church folks attend (some of them probably need a relationship to Jesus but who am I to say). Church that would have suited my Dad but if he were living he would be in his late 90’s. They have squatted, got stuck and refuse to move. Is Jesus present? Sure! Jesus will not abandon them. But they are not where Jesus is most active. They are not doing the things Jesus is involved in. They are squatting not following and they are missing out on the Presence and Power of Jesus working through them to transform, people, churches, society, nations –our world. It can happen. Look at the closed churches in Europe. Often used as Museums. At one time England was the major missionary sending country in the world. Now they have churches that are empty, In America, Christians are declining. Our own denomination is suffering a decline in attendance, baptisms all the vital statistics. If it were not for the ethnic churches we would be in steep decline.
You can always tell. Squatters always are looking inward to their own needs. They take the safe course. They focus on the past. Followers Of Jesus always look outside to the needs of others. They face the future and they take chances.
That has happened to me as an individual more than I want to admit. I get comfortable with where I am, with what I am doing, with what Jesus is doing in me, with what Jesus is doing through me and I settle in. I do that often when Jesus is calling to me to take a new path that scares me. In reality, at that time, I am no longer A Follower Of Jesus regardless of what I call myself. After all to be a Follower you have to be going someplace. At that time I can do a lot of religious stuff but not things empowered by the Holy Spirit or the presence of Jesus.
What happens? Jesus doesn’t leave me there. Often Jesus makes the place I am squatting in very uncomfortable. I want to move again and frantically look around for Jesus and there he is waving me on to catch up with him and walk with him again. To be engaged in something new and different. If I try to get back on the old path, I am no longer following.
The longer I squat, the more comfortable I become the greater the crisis it takes to get me Following again.
Whoops, I just realized nothing new is going on in my Spiritual life. I must be squatting again. I think I hear Jesus calling, “Come on, you have been there long enough. Catch up with me. There is something new I need to teach you today”. Better get moving. I want to be a Follower. I want to experience the Presence and Power of Jesus in my life.
Do you hear a voice in the distance?