First Sunday of Advent Year C Psalm 25:1-10

25:5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.

Leadership is a funny thing. We train up our children to be leaders, but sometimes we forget that we are also called to follow. Called like the disciples were called out of their careers and families to follow a man who would turn their world upside down. But in a world focused on increasing our leadership skills, how do we learn to follow?

Listen

It may seem sort of obvious, but one way we learn to follow is we start listening. We listen to the message scripture holds for us, or the spoken word delivered on Sunday morning. We listen to the ways God has been active in the lives of those around us, so we can participate in God’s action in our world.

But this listening isn’t always the same as the way we “listen” in our every day lives. We tend to listen with the intent to respond. We need to listen and hear those around us, without injecting our own opinions and prejudices into their stories. God may be trying to lead you through the stories of others, listen.

Learn

We may think that our learning was over when we stepped out of whatever our last school was. For some of us that was somewhere in the middle of high school, for others it feels like the journey of traditional education will never end, but we are called to learn throughout our life. Don’t just listen to scripture, learn about it. Go to Bible studies, challenge things you don’t understand and do the research to back it up. Talk to people who have studied the Bible and theology and ask them for help. Always be learning so you might also follow.

Lead

Lead to follow? Ok this doesn’t make any sense, but it may be unavoidable. Everyone leads someone. Children, friends, spouses, co-workers, people in a faith community, someone may be trying to follow you or your example. So help them listen, learn and lead to also follow Jesus. Remember you lead so you can follow, not so that others can follow you.

25:9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

25:10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees