Followers

"Christ comes to the world as the example, constantly enjoining: Imitate me. We humans prefer to adore him instead." (Soren Kierkegaard)

Kierkegaard draws a clear distinction between followers and admirers of Christ. It seems that for him true discipleship means imitation of Christ's life while common admiration is nothing but an adherence to Jesus' teachings without conforming one's life to them. He gives an example of an audience at a theatrical performance admiring a particular actor from the safety and comfort of their seats. It seems to me that it takes much more than one's resolve to become a true disciple of Jesus. It must take a Divine intrusion into our nature to turn admirers into followers. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit must transform us into true disciples of the Man or Sorrows. So, here is my prayer.

Jesus,

It is easy for me to admire You from afar.
It is only natural for me to adore you from a safe distance.
But I do not want to remain Your admirer. I want to be like You in Your suffering and Your victory alike. I want to respond to Your call to true discipleship and embrace risk, sacrifice and pain. I humbly ask Your Holy Spirit to transform me from an admirer into a follower.

Amen