If we dive into the Bible, it has a very different meaning for someone who is a follower. The Greek word translated as “disciple” comes from the verb that means “to learn.” That means disciples are learners, students, or pupils who spend their time and resources learning, studying, and training. Disciples strive to adhere to the teachings of another, meaning they willingly submit to the instruction and guidance of whom they have chosen to follow.

In Luke 9:23-25, Jesus presents deliberate actions to signify you are putting forth the effort to demonstrate you have a relationship with Him – that you are His follower: “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”

Giving up our own way does not come naturally to us. Jesus knows this about us, but He still says this action is part of following Him. Although followers of Jesus often wear cross jewelry and t-shirts, the cross signifies a death instrument. When Jesus instructs us to take up our cross daily, He means we willingly put to death those things that would take us away from following Him that day. 

Being a disciple is not a one-and-done kind of deal. We choose to commit our lives to Him, and then we must spend the rest of our lives choosing to follow Him because following Jesus is a choice we make every day. I know the influencer that I am choosing to follow – do you know yours?

Kim Jewell