The meeting would soon begin. My son, Ryan, spied my stack of hand outs on a nearby chair. “Mom, do you want me to stand in the door and give out these papers to people as they come in?’ Lieutenant Colonel Tom Cordingly, an Army officer, was seated nearby. “Stand in the door,” he repeated. Ryan’s words had awakened the officer’s memories of parachuting out of military planes. “That’s a phrase I never wanted to hear. When the jumpmaster said that to you, it meant you were to take your position as the first one out the door. The rest lined up behind you like little puppies. “I’d follow anyone,” he continued. “Just don’t ask me to be the first one out.” Parachuting aside, Tom still preferred to follow—although not just anyone, as he told our Sunday school class someweeks later. “At Fort Leavenworth, Kan., I was just one among many majors and lieutenant colonels in a battle command training program. When I was selected to come to Erie as battalion commander anti professor of military science, a university department chair, I looked forward to being the person in charge. I would be totally responsible for the 17 under me. I thought it would be freeing to be farther from headquarters and under less supervision. “But its not as personally satisfying as I thought it would be. Here, there’s the pressure of making decisions and providing solutions. And supervision by distance—by email anti telephone—is impersonal. “I compare this situation with my time at fort Knox. There, the executive officer I worked under would plan the strategy and then turn to me and say, ‘Make it so, Tom.’ I was his right-hand man, the ‘make-it-so’ guy. There was far more satisfaction in that for me. “Two or three times in my life, I’ve been in that type of situation. And I’ve finally concluded, ‘Give me a good man to work for, a man I love and respect, and I’ll he happy.’ That’s what I want.” Tom embraces his preference as a follower in a way that is rare today. In a culture that lauds the leader and the lone ranger, there’s often a stigma attached to following. That’s not all bad. We should find it distasteful to pander to leaders up on pedestals. We should have an aversion to mindlessly plodding behind someone going who-knows-where. There are wrong and right people to follow, and wrong anti right ways to follow, not only in society but also in the body of Christ, His church.

Pointers for Followers

Godly following, then, needs a few qualifiers: Every follower’s first loyalty is to God—or the follower is doing a disservice to the leader and everyone else. Any leader who desires anything else is out of line. Even the Apostle Paul qualified his expectations: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). If he deviated, believers were under no obligation to follow. Of primary concern is who we follow. Anyone who has exercised supporting gifts in the church for very long has come under leaders who are difficult, if not impossible, to follow. Rarely are they out-and-out scoundrels—in which case we must, in a most Christ-guided manner, confront them with love and respect, and if need be, withdraw our support and allow our paths to separate. More often, difficult leaders are knowingly or unknowingly allowing self to have free reign in some area of their lives. No matter how forceful and charismatic they may be, or how successful their methods, true followers cannot promote, excuse, or protect their lack of consecration. A follower needs discernment through the Spirit. Whom to follow, when to follow, how far to follow—these are the questions that honest followers wrestle with. Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who must be followed, and He will provide wisdom (Jas. 1:5-6). True, some attempts to follow end in frustration and apparent failure. But God is faithful. If He has called us to support and complement leaders in His body, the church, He will answer the cry of our hearts: “Oh, God, give me a leader I can love and respect.” Jonathan, prince of Israel, found such a man. Poised to succeed his father as king, Jonathan one day overheard a young man speaking to King Saul. By the time that conversation was finished, in his heart Jonathan had already stepped back from his potential leadership role and lined up directly behind God’s choice for Israel’s next leader. Jonathan quickly grasped then what he later confided to David: “You will be king over Israel, and I will he second to you” (1 Sam. 23:17). He didn’t see a threat, an intruder. He saw an anointed man he could love and respect. The prince deferred immediately, and became a follower like no other. He left us a worthy example of how to he a godly follower.

Jonathan Enriched His Leader

• Jonathan gave David gifts (1 Sam. 18:4). Tangible gifts—the royal “shirt off his back,” his tunic, his sword, his bow, his belt.

• He gave David affirmation (“You will be king over Israel,” 1 Sam. 23:17) and encouragement (“Don’t he afraid”). When David was being hunted down by Saul, Jonathan found his hiding place and “helped him find strength in God” (v. 16), not in people or circumstances. His godly counsel was a channel of peace and power.

• He gave the love and loyalty of a friend. Jonathan loved David as himself (1 Sam. 18:3) and was committed to David’s well-being (20:9). It was a love that shone more purely and selflessly than any other David experienced (2 Sam. 1:26).

Real leaders have real needs. Even the strongest need support. Centuries later, when Timothy read the end of Paul’s second letter, he may have sensed a lonely and somewhat depleted man. Paul wanted Timothy’s presence: “Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me… Crescens has gone and Titus” (2 Tim. 4:9-10). Paul also wanted Timothy’s help: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry….bring the cloak…and my scrolls, especially the parchments” (vv. 11, 13). And is there a hint of urgency as Paul signs off? “Do your best to get here before winter” (v. 21).

Timothy was called on to bring tangible aid, and to step into the gap created by those who had left. Have you been called to be a Jonathan or a Timothy? Do you enrich your leader in any of these ways?

Jonathan Protected His Leader

• He interpreted the opposition to David (1 Sam. 20:12-13). As Saul’s son and confidant (v. 2), Jonathan was uniquely able to discern the schemes and moods of the murderous king.

• He attempted to initiate reconciliation in David’s situation (19:4-7) and repeatedly spoke well of David to Saul.

• He warned David of potential disaster (19:2), even though it put him between the father he was close to and the friend he loved.

• He proposed a plan for David’s escape from Saul (20:18-22).

The leaders you follow face a murderous enemy: Satan. Daily, they battle the world, the flesh, and the devil. Sometimes you may need to discern and interpret the conflict, warn of danger, and help a leader see the way of escape that God always provides during temptation. At other times you may need to help that leader hold steady during the trial that refines and brings endurance. But leaders most need the protection that Paul requested repeatedly: “Pray for us” (Heb. 13:18); “Brothers, pray for us” (1 Thess. 5:25); “Pray that we may be delivered” (2 Thess. 3:2). Pray for your leaders.

Jonathan Released His Leader

• He gave up his own opinions. Jonathan ultimately deferred to David’s interpretation of circumstances (1 Sam. 20:1-4) and offered himself in full cooperation. He trusted David to see what he himself had not.

• He surrendered control. He recognized the Lord’s sovereignty in circumstances, and didn’t try to manage situations to avoid pain, separation, or unpleasantness for either of them (20:22). Even to his own disadvantage, Jonathan stood by David—not over him or in his way.

• He freed David from emotional bondage. When the need to part was clear, Jonathan released David with a benediction (20:42). The deep friendship they shared and the covenants they had made did not bind, but freed them to separate in peace, knowing the Lord filled the distance between them.

After a prophet predicted what awaited the Apostle Paul in Jerusalem, many Christians pleaded with him not to go there (Acts 21:12-14). But Paul had already stated, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem” (20:22). And so he asked them, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready” (21:13). Thankfully the believers relented and said, “The Lord’s will be clone” (v. 14).

Do you trust your leaders? Are you giving your leaders space to follow God’s sovereign leading? When separation comes, do you send them away with your blessing? “Stand in the door.” Leaders all around us hear these words today. They are poised, hearts pounding, ready to jump into what God has called them to do. But as they glance hack over their shoulders, is anybody there? Does anyone follow with encouragement, wise counsel, prayer, love and loyalty? Are you there? Will you follow your…Leader?