If You Are Going to Follow Jesus You Be
That phrase stops you short, doesnât it? âIf you are going to follow Jesus you be âŠâ Itâs incomplete by design. The missing word isnât a secretâitâs a challenge. âBeâ stands open, waiting for you to fill it with your life. Every person drawn to Jesus senses that following Him means becoming something new. But how many actually stop and ask what that âbeâ requires? This article walks through the common mistakes, overlooked details, and practical corrections that can save you years of frustration and help you follow Jesus with clarity and peace.
Mistaking âYou Beâ for a To-Do List
The biggest error people make is turning discipleship into performance. They read âyou beâ as âyou must do these ten things perfectly.â So they jump into a frenzy of religious activityâchurch attendance, giving, volunteering, avoiding certain sinsâall while secretly measuring themselves against an invisible checklist. The result? Exhaustion, guilt, and the quiet suspicion that everyone else is succeeding.
But âyou beâ is a state of being, not a schedule of tasks. Jesus said âabide in meâ before He said âgo and bear fruit.â If you treat following Him as a productivity system, you will miss the transformation He offers. The practical fix is simple: shift your focus from what you do for Jesus to who you are becoming with Him. Ask yourself, âWhat kind of person is Jesus shaping me to be today?â That question releases you from performance anxiety and opens the door to real growth.
Ignoring the Cost of Becoming
Another common mistake is assuming that following Jesus will always feel comfortable or rewarding. People jump in without counting the cost. They expect blessings without sacrifice, community without conflict, and purpose without pain. When difficulties comeâa strained relationship with a non-believing friend, a financial decision that costs you, a conviction that makes you unpopularâthey wonder if they made a mistake.
Consider a young professional who wants to follow Jesus but also wants to climb the corporate ladder quickly. She faces a choice: attend a networking event on Sunday morning or be part of a church community. She chooses the event, justifying it as âmissional.â Over time, her faith becomes a Sunday-only hobby. The mistake wasnât the career ambition; it was never honestly facing that following Jesus might mean saying no to certain opportunities. If you are going to follow Jesus, you be willing to let Him define what success looks like. Before you commit, sit down and ask: âWhat am I unwilling to give up? Is that area truly submitted to Christ?â If not, start there.
The Comparison Trap in Discipleship
Comparison is a thief that steals the joy of following Jesus. You see a friend who seems to have it all togetherâthey pray for hours, lead a small group, and never seem to doubt. You feel like a failure. Or you look at someone who struggles openly and think, âAt least Iâm not that bad.â Both reactions poison the heart.
The overlooked detail is that each personâs âyou beâ looks different. Peterâs following looked different from Johnâs. Paulâs calling differed from Barnabasâ. Your path is unique. The practical advice: stop comparing seasons. A person who is new to faith will have a different âbeâ than someone walking with Jesus for thirty years. Focus on the one step Jesus has put in front of you today. If you are going to follow Jesus, you be the specific person He made you, not a copy of someone else.
Overlooking the Corporate Nature of âYou Beâ
Many treat following Jesus as a solo journey. They read their Bible alone, pray alone, and try to grow alone. But the phrase âyou beâ is not individualistic in the New Testament context. Jesus called disciples together, sent them out in pairs, and built a churchâa body. Cutting yourself off from genuine community leads to blind spots, discouragement, and a distorted faith.
A typical mistake is choosing a church based on convenience or entertainment value rather than sound teaching and accountability. A young family might pick a church with great childrenâs programs but weak biblical foundation. Over years, the parents grow shallow roots and struggle when life gets hard. The correction: before joining any group, ask whether the people there will help you become more like Jesus. Look for a community that challenges you, prays with you, and holds you accountable. If you are going to follow Jesus, you be part of His body, not a lone ranger.
Relying on Feelings Instead of Obedience
Feelings are fickle. Yet many people wait to feel ready, feel close to God, or feel passionate before they obey. They skip quiet time because they donât âfeelâ like it. They avoid serving because they âdonât feel called.â This misunderstands the nature of discipleship. Jesus said, âIf you love me, keep my commandments.â Love leads to obedience, but obedience also nurtures love.
Imagine a man who struggles with anger. He doesnât feel like apologizing after an outburst. He waits until he feels sorry enough. Meanwhile, the relationship erodes. If he had acted on what he knew was rightâapologizing even when he didnât feel humbleâthe feeling of remorse would often follow the act of humility. Practical advice: when you know what Jesus asks, do it. Donât wait for emotion. Obedience is the path to deeper feeling, not the other way around. If you are going to follow Jesus, you be obedient because He is Lord, not because it always feels good.
What to Check Before You Decide to Follow Seriously
Before you go deeper into this journey, pause and examine a few things. First, check your motive. Why do you want to follow Jesus? If itâs for comfort, safety, or a better life, you will be disappointed when trials come. The only solid motive is that He is worthy. Second, read one of the GospelsâMark is short and direct. See the real Jesus: His demands, His love, His hard teachings. Do you still want to follow? Third, talk to two or three mature believers who have walked this road for years. Ask them what they wish they had known. Their honest answers will save you from many pitfalls. Fourth, evaluate your willingness to change. Not just habits, but your worldview, your priorities, your relationships. If you are going to follow Jesus, you be transformed. The question is whether you are ready for that.
Better Ways to Approach the âYou Beâ of Discipleship
Instead of trying to be perfect, aim for progress. Instead of comparing, look at Christ. Instead of isolating, join a small group that studies Scripture together. Instead of waiting for feelings, act on what you know. And instead of treating âyou beâ as a burden, see it as an invitationâan invitation to become the person you were always meant to be.
For example, start each morning with a simple prayer: âLord, today I choose to follow You. Show me who You want me to be.â Then go through your day with that question in mind. When you face a decision, ask, âDoes this help me become more like Jesus?â When you fail, donât run away; run to grace. Confess, get back up, and continue. That is the rhythm of faithful discipleship.
The phrase âIf you are going to follow Jesus you beâ is not a command to achieve a static state. Itâs a dynamic, lifelong becoming. The mistakes people make are usually attempts to shortcut, control, or avoid the process. But the process itself is the gift. Every step of obedience, every moment of reliance on grace, every choice to loveâthose are the building blocks of a life that truly follows Jesus.
So what will you fill in that blank? Not with a word, but with your life. That is the whole point. If you are going to follow Jesus, you beâwilling, humble, patient, committed, and always growing. And He will meet you there, every single time.
