Excellent leadership starts with excellent followship. By following the example of Jesus, we can find excellence in others and emulate excellence for others.

Excellence requires a what, a why, and a how. Your what determines your path. Your why determines your passion. Your how determines your success. Jesus followers, though, add a key fourth element: a For-Whom. Who you live for and follow – your For-Whom – determines your significance. Following great leaders can drive great success, but will you experience great significance? It depends on your For-Whom. For which of these three For-Whoms do you live?

First, is your For-Whom you? If so, you can see what you can be. By defining your priorities and refining your habits, you can be successful – a good thing, but not enough.

Second, is your For-Whom others? If so, you can see who you want to be. By casting your vision and crafting your mission, you can be inspiring – a better thing, but it still won’t satisfy your soul.

Or third, is your For-Whom Jesus? If so, you can become who you’re created to be. By surrendering your destiny and fulfilling your God-given ministry, you can experience the significance  of faithfulness. Why? Because you’re following Jesus – the source of character.

Jesus-follower:  The source of character

Following Jesus is the greatest of all ironies. By surrendering, we can be victors. By kneeling, we can rise. By learning, we can teach. By serving, we can lead. By putting ourselves last, He puts us first. And through our weakness, He is made strong (2 Cor. 12:9). How is all that possible? Because we’re not drawing from ourselves; we’re drawing from The Source.

Sadly, many people draw their value by their number of followers on social media. But God’s version of followship is based on fellowship with Him. In fact, biblical following is the opposite of popularity. Society will often hate you because it hates Him (John 15:18). The power of God’s resurrection comes with the fellowship of His suffering (Phil. 3:10).

Then again, as I learned from Jimmy Draper, nothing worth having is easily obtained. Every grand goal requires grand sacrifice. Eternal life is free to us, but it cost Jesus everything. He was the perfect sacrifice because, by denying Himself, He stayed connected to the source of His power – His Heavenly Father. And so can we.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me’” (Matt. 16:24). Jesus-followers are learners, advocates, and devotees. They submit and surrender to His will. They’re guided and captivated by His calling. For the lost, they save. For the saved, they serve. For the serving, they grow. And for the growing, they multiply. Following Jesus isn’t a checklist; it’s process and an absolute privilege.

Creating disciplers

Creating a family of Jesus-followers isn’t breaking habits or fixing behaviors; it’s bonding with hearts and funneling beliefs. Instead of creating disciples, create disciplers who multiply faithfulness through others. Sadly, disciplers are rare. If you type “discipler” into a document, it inserts a red squiggly line because it doesn’t recognize the term. Kids may not recognize the term either, but they recognize the effort. Help your kids want to follow Jesus by wanting to follow you.

You could create an A-to-Z list of words for Jesus-followers – words like: abiding, biblical, Christ-like, disciple, empathetic, faithful, gracious, holy, inspiring, justified, kind-hearted, long-suffering, merciful, nurturing, overcomer, prayerful, quest, redeemed, sanctified, truthful, upright, virtuous, worshipful, xamining, yearning, and zest. These aren’t the A-to-Z character qualities that I chose, but they could be, because they describe who Jesus created us all to be – His followers.

To know Jesus is to follow Jesus. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life – the only way to the Father (John 14:6). His followers conform to His will, which confirms their soul. They obey His commands, so they overflow with His comfort. And by sensing His prompting, they savor His promises. If Jesus is your For-Whom – your resurrected destination – you’re following not only an excellent leader, but also the source of all excellence.

What’s your “J” character quality?

Which “J” character quality will help you live out your family’s Secret Sauce? Jazzed, Jesus-follower, Jolly, Joyful, Judicious, Juggling, Justice, Justified, or something else? Click here for a Free Printable Workbook, instructions, and 300 sample A-to-Z character words.

Questions: What source of character are you following and living for? What “J” word characterizes what you want for your family, and why?