“For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”

1 Corinthians 3:4–6 (NIV)

 

Who Do You Follow?

Who do you follow? How do you view people who are in influential roles? How do you listen to them, trust them, and apply what they say?

I know for myself, I can look at certain people and see them as someone I want to imitate—someone I want to become like. But that raises an important question:

Am I learning from them… or am I following them?

There is a difference.

The Position We Give People Matters

The way you position people in your life will determine success or failure.

In the verses above, the people of Corinth placed Paul and Apollos in the wrong position. They elevated servants of God into places that only belong to God.

People can be persuasive, charismatic, and inspiring. As humans, we often feel like we need to follow someone in order to grow or advance in life.

But when we believe in Jesus, our primary allegiance changes.

We do not follow people.

We follow Jesus.

 

What Does It Mean to Truly Follow Someone?

To follow someone means:

• Full dedication

• Full trust

• A willingness to leave what you know behind for them

When we place people in this position, we risk losing focus on the One we claim to believe in—Jesus Christ.

 

Signs You May Be Following Someone More Than Jesus

Here are some ways to recognize it:

• You begin to place their words above the Word of God.

• You decide what is right and wrong based on their opinions instead of Scripture.

• You make excuses or exceptions in your obedience to Jesus.

• You prioritize your relationship with them over your relationship with Christ.

 

A Healthy Balance

This does not mean we should reject pastors, mentors, or spiritual authority.

God uses people to plant and water seeds in our lives.

But these verses remind us:

People are servants.

Jesus is Lord.

We can listen to others.

We can learn from others.

We can be led by others.

As long as they are pointing us to Jesus—not replacing Him.