‘CROSSPATCH: ‘Follow the leader’ can be a very dangerous game

On 26 May 1971, a formation of three Hawker-Siddelly jets of the South African Air Force were practicing formation flying over Cape Town in preparation for a big event.

The pilots were highly trained and dedicated men who could keep their speeding jets in tight formation with the wingtips almost touching. The leader of the formation could count on the others to keep their exact positions.

The route lay in flying west from the landmark of the Athlone cooling towers towards the University of Cape Town, then banking north and speeding over the city towards the air base at Ysterplaat.

The leading jet swept along the N2 past the cooling towers, but started to bank to the north three seconds too late. The planes passed close over UCT and the Rhodes Memorial and ploughed in formation into the slopes of Devil’s Peak, killing all 11 crew members.

The leader apparently made the fatal mistake, but one wonders whether the pilots of the other jets realised what was happening or whether they were concentrating so much on the leader that they didn’t try to break away at the last moment.

Who we follow is critical for our lives and futures. Many may get caught up in following someone with a magnetic personality, but whose path leads into a spiritual wilderness.

John the Baptist was a charismatic prophet, calling on all to repent, but he did not look for followers of his own. He was pointing to someone much greater than himself.

We read some of his words to the crowd clustered around him in John 1:29,34: “The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! …. I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God.'”

Andrew and another who were then John’s disciples left him and followed Jesus. They were witnesses to God’s work through miracles and sublime teaching, culminating in Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. Andrew said: “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41).

Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). True security lies in following him as the only perfect leader, whose invitation still stands: “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28)