Paul Followed

I don't know what you think about when I mention the original Apostles, but one of the words that comes to my mind is "follower."  They were disciples (followers) before they became apostles (sent ones).  When I think about Paul, though, I don't think about him like the other twelve.  He wasn't a follower of Jesus during his lifetime leading up to his ministry.  Paul was a disciple of Gamaliel, a Jewish scholar of their day.  When Paul was knocked off the donkey on the way to Damascus, he was already acting like a leader, not a follower.  Even after his conversion, Paul continued to lead in many ways.  He traveled around from town to town evangelizing people everywhere he went.  He planted new churches, trained leaders, and turned the churches over to those local leaders.  Paul led leaders.  He certainly did not look like a follower.  He looked like a leader.  Yet, this is the way he described himself to the church in Corinth.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV)

Paul called himself a follower.  His leadership was only as good as his example.  He was leading people to follow Christ in the same way that he followed Christ.  His following was his leadership.  It was his example.  It was the part of him worth imitating.

What I am saying is this: Each of you says, "I'm with Paul," or "I'm with Apollos," or "I'm with Cephas," or "I'm with Christ." Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul's name? (1 Corinthians 1:12-13 HCSB)

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize--not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God's power to us who are being saved. (1 Corinthians 1:17-18 HCSB)

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV)

How about you?  Do you lead people?  Do you lead by example?  What parts of your life would you want others to to imitate?  Do you boast in yourself and your own accomplishments, or do you boast in the Lord?  Do you lead by following Christ?