Followers

If you look somewhere to the right of this post, you'll see that 84 people are public followers of this blog.  The number is actually slightly smaller, because a couple people are following this blog through both Google and networked Blogs. 

Most of this blog's public followers are people with whom I have relationships in real life.  In many cases, because of distance and a lack of time spent, the relationships are built mostly around memories.

Many of this blog's public followers don't actually read what I write everytime I write or, possibly, at all.  Lest you start feeling squirmy, let me assure you: I don't know who reads what, when (unless you tell me).  But my blog has a stats feature, so I know about how many visits each post receives, which is almost always less than 84.  I'm assuming this blog's 84 public followers want to show me support, just not necessarily read what I have to write, sometimes.  Or at all.

Most of this blog's public followers comment only very rarely here, on this blog.  I'm not sure why?  I switched to a system that doesn't require commenters to possess a Google account, doesn't require commenters to type in captchas, and does encourage replies (mine and others').  But that's beside the point.  I'm not hearing from most of this blog's public followers.

I swear I'm not bitter.  I swear I have a point.  Hang in there.

Many of this blog's frequent commenters (including my own mom) are not among this blog's public followers.  Clearly, these folks are comfortable with admitting having read my words.  So why aren't they public followers?  Well, I'm not sure.  Maybe they don't want the hassle of signing up through Google or networked Blogs.  Maybe they're signed up with Google and/or networked Blogs but--for one reason or another--don't want this blog on their blogrolls.  Maybe they want it on their blogrolls but prefer to follow this blog privately.

The same possibilities apply to those who read this blog but are neither public followers nor frequent commenters.  Some of them talk to me about my words over the phone or in person. 

And I wonder: are there lurkers?  People who read this blog without ever indicating as much?

I only care about all of it but so much.  I'll admit: sometimes, in the middle of a conversation about some aspect of my life, I'll wish the other person had read a blog post into which I'd poured out my heart and soul on the subject at hand.  But, mostly, I blog (and blog2print) for my kids.

So, if I'm not sulking about this blog's followers (or lack of), what's the point?

Not so much what as who. 

Christ being the who.

It seems to me that the term "Christ followers" has gained popularity over the term "Christians."  If you count yourself a Christ follower, what does that mean to you?  For example:

• Are you a public follower of Christ? 
• Do you have a real relationship with Him?  Is it current, or is it built upon memories because of distance and a lack of time spent?
• How often are you paying attention to what He has to say?  Frequently?  Sometimes?  Never?
• How often are you sharing with Him what you think?
• If you're a private follower of Christ, what keeps you from being a public one?
• When it comes to Christ, are you a lurker?  Are you--at least for now--standing back and watching?  If so, what could you see that would prompt you into following?

Christ doesn't have a blog.  He has a book, though.  I read it most often here, online, where I find it easy to start with one version (King James) and switch to others as desired. 

Let me share with you something: whomever you are, Christ loves you more than I do.  (And, chances are, I love you a lot.  Remember: my mom will almost certainly read this.) 

Also.  Whomever you are, Christ desires for you to follow Him much more than I desire for you to follow this blog.  He wants you publicly.  He wants you for real.  He wants you currently.  He wants you frequently.  He wants you listening.  He wants you talking. 

And, all the time, wherever you are in your journey (or non-journey) with Him, He wants you more.

He says over and over and over: "Follow me" (Matthew 4:19, 8:22, 9:9, 16:24, 19:21; Mark 2:14, 8:34, 10:21; Luke 5:27, 9:23, 9:59, 18:22; John 1:43, 12:26, 21:19).

(Feel free to share this post with your friends.  Not for me, but for Christ.)