Soren Kierkegard, in his spiritual writings, writes that Christ consistently used the expression “follower.” He never asked for admirers, worshippers, or adherents. No, he calls disciples. It is not adherents of a teaching but followers of a life Christ is looking for. Christ came into the world with the purpose of saving, not instructing it. At the same time, as is implied in his saving work, he came to be the pattern, to leave footprints for the person who would join him, who would become a follower. This is why Christ was born and lived and died in lowliness. There is absolutely nothing to admire in Jesus unless you want to admire poverty, misery, and contempt. What, then, is the difference between an admirer and a follower? A follower is or strives to be what he admires. An admirer, however, keeps themselves personally detached. They fail to see that what is admired involves a claim upon them, and thus, they fail to be or strive to be what they admire. To want to admire instead of follow Christ is not necessarily an invention by bad people. No, it is more an invention by those who keep themselves detached, who keep themselves at a safe distance. Admirers are related to the admired only through the excitement of the imagination. The difference between an admirer and a follower remains, no matter where you are. The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. They always play it safe. Though in words, phrases, and songs, they are inexhaustible about how highly they prize Christ; they renounce nothing, give up nothing, will not reconstruct their life, will not be what they admire, and will not let their life express what it is they supposedly admire. Not so for the follower. No, no. The follower aspires with all their strength, with all their will, to be what they admire.