This is Courageous Follower Day.

Leaders are the ones who take the greatest risks, and who shoulder the responsibility for the success (or failure) of a venture. But where would these great leaders be if they had no followers? For example, how far would Christopher Columbus have sailed without his shipmates? What if no one followed General George Washington as he braved the cold, dark waters of the Delaware River that fateful Christmas Eve? And what if no one heeded the call to liberty by patriots such as Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and others? It takes courage to follow someone into uncharted waters, unknown territories, or into the face of life-threatening opposition.

Peter, James, and John faced all these uncertainties—and more—when a relatively unknown carpenter from Nazareth stood on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and asked them to “Come, be my disciples” (Mark 1:17). The three, in fact, put down their nets, left their families and only known source of income behind, and followed. At the time, they didn’t know where this leader would take them. Even during the three years they spent with Jesus, they still had questions about who exactly this man was, what his (and their) mission was, and where he was taking them. Still they followed, willing to risk everything.

Do you have what it takes to be a courageous follower? Are you willing to follow Jesus when it means befriending the unpopular kid at school or refusing to follow the crowd? You may have questions about where Jesus is leading you, but you can be sure that following him is the right choice. It’s worth the risk!

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17, New International Version).

To Do

Be a courageous follower of Jesus today! Dare to go against the crowd. Be bold in telling others about him.

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Pound Cake Day.

1789—The Constitution of the United States went into effect.

1877—Emile Berliner invented the microphone.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.