For years, I've been intrigued by folks who have turned following particular performers, bands or celebrities into an art form and seemingly life-long, personal quest. For example, I used to work with a guy who took an entire week off from work whenever singer Jimmy Buffett was touring so he could attend not just one, but many of Buffet's concerts in our tri-state area. Several years ago, when my daughter was head-over-heels for the Jonas Brothers band, we attended one of their concerts in Camden and met a group of girls who weren't from our area (NJ) but who'd spent a good portion of their summer following them from city to city. When we asked them how they could afford to do that, they laughingly informed us that one girl's dad had taken off from work FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER just to drive them to each town where the Jonas Brothers would be performing. I couldn't begin to hazard a guess at how much THAT was costing dear old Dad.
And this summer when I took my daughter to see singer Taylor Swift when she came to Philadelphia, I was amazed by the elaborate costumes, makeup and signage her fans sported.
And then, of course, there are those Extreme Sports Fans -- a species in a class all their own, who have no problem smearing their bodies with paint to match their team's colors, shaving their heads or donning humongous, crazy-colored wigs and showing up in the sports arena's parking lot at dawn to begin the tailgating festivities. Many have also been known to withstand totally frigid temps while COMPLETELY BARECHESTED as they cheer their teams on to victory!
It's mind-boggling to me just how far a person would go to show their fan allegiance to someone else. And it got me thinking -- how far would they go for Jesus?
How far would you go for Jesus?
Would you --
Be filled with excitement
and jump up and down
if you heard the Messiah
was coming to town?
Would you --
Keep your kids out of school?
Call out of work sick?
Invite some of your friends?
Which ones would you pick
to travel with you
to follow this Man?
Are you sure you're His follower
and not just a fan?
How far would you go for Jesus?
Would you --
Spend your time and your cash
working days to design
a glittery, neon-color
Poster board sign
To hold high in the air
in the hopes that He'd see
your message for Him:
"I © JC!"
Would you --
Pull out all of the stops
to follow this Man?
Are you sure you're His follower
And not just a fan?
How far would you go for Jesus?
Would you --
Brave nasty weather?
Camp out all night in line
for a glimpse of the One
fully Man and Divine?
Wear a bright, fuzzy wig?
Paint your face, arms and chest
and ignore those who call you
insane and obsessed
to go through such effort
to follow this Man?
Are you sure you're His follower
and not just a fan?
How far would you go for Jesus?
Would you --
Stand in the cold and the snow,
mud and rain?
Stand 'til your feet, legs and back
screamed in pain?
Then text Him or Tweet Him
or friend Him on facebook
just to tell Him you downloaded
His Word to your Nook?
Or.....
Would you --
Follow this King
to the ends of the earth?
Forsake family and friends?
Leave the land of your birth
to respond to His call
and His will for your life
whether son or a daughter,
whether husband or wife?
Would you --
Help heal the broken,
the sick and the lame?
Give cups of cold water
in Jesus's Name?
Help feed the hungry
and comfort the fearful?
Hold the hands of the dying,
dry the eyes of the tearful?
Would you --
Go anywhere and
do anything?
Maybe die upside-down
on a cross for this King?
I rise before dawn
while my family's in bed
Humbly drop to my knees
and then bow my head
Asking "How far would I go
to follow this Man?"
Making sure I'm His follower
And not just a fan.
WOW!!! I LOVE THIS POST. Was I clear on that lol? What an awesome, awesome poem Pam...a real challenge. And why is it that world calls followers obsessed and insane while they are doing the very things you describe in this post? What isn't crazy to be half naked in 20 degree weather with paint on your face but lifting your hands in praise makes you weird? And why on earth would believers accept that pronouncement? Good, good stuff!
ReplyDeleteThank you, my dear friend. This means the world to me because you are such a gifted and talented writer, and poetry isn't really my forte, so when God began putting this on my heart to do, I was thinking, 'Really, Lord?' It was indeed a HUGE challenge for me. I can liken it to birthing a baby (a very large baby, LOL), but throughout the morning, God was there with me like a midwife, and He just kept supplying the ideas and rhyming words for this. All kudos for this poem goes to Him for sure.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving Pam! I also LOVE THIS POST! Happy Thanksgiving Toni, too! Anyway- I too have thought about this... and I loved your poem. Since I have had a wild early life ( stories, I could tell) I always said when I came to the Lord- I want to be just as passionate (moreso) and wild about and for Him as I was about and for the world! ANd I was a wild one! I think I only painted myself once...Love, and blessings to you and yours. Hope the knee is pain free for your Turkey Day!
ReplyDeleteWow - very thought-provoking. Causes you to sit down and search you soul, thoughts and actions. As always, Pam, a blessing to read the blog you write for His glory. Blessings!!! Linda
ReplyDeleteDawn, thanks so much for your comment and the Thanksgiving wishes! I can relate quite well to the wild early life, as I had one of my own (gee, are you surprised?). Stories to make your hair stand on end -- or possibly fall out! When I think about where I might have wound up had I continued on my way and ignored God...well, it's best not to go there most times. And boy, I was a stubborn one.
ReplyDeleteHey Linda, thanks a bunch for your comments -- you know how much I value and am grateful for them.
ReplyDeleteTrue story -- this morning, Thanksgiving Day, I went to the big football game between West and Steinert with my daughter and her friends. Wouldn't you know it, as we were waiting in line to get in, a group of about 10 boys from Steinert came up, shouting & waving flags; ALL without shirts, ALL painted green (hair, too) and each had a white letter painted on their chest to spell out 'Go Steinert.' Uh huh, major fan allegiance.