A Living Example

It sure has been a long time since my last post. I was in S. Africa at Christ Seminary and we had just finished our time in Malawi. So much has happened since then, and I would not even know where to begin to tell it all. Now that the trip is over, this blog will change. My continuing this will depend on whether people take an interest. My intent is to share what the Lord puts on my heart, and be an encouragement to my brothers and sisters in our walk of faith.

There have been big changes this week in our household. Brian, along with Bekka and Jared, graduated from high school on Sunday. And he has now turned 18. Life has totally changed for him in the same week. He is full of questions and uncertainty. He has not found a job, doesn't have a major, and in that, is not sure what he wants to do in life. Sound familiar? Many of us even this late in life are unsure about what we are doing and whether we should seek to change. So he's standing at the first of potentially many crossroads in his adult life and wonders. And I wonder if I prepared him for this? Could I have done a better job?

Julie & I have tried to teach him everything he needs for this moment. We home schooled him. We got him involved at church. We have read and taught him the truths from God's word. But did we show him by example how to walk in a relationship with Christ? Talking the talk is one thing. Teaching him all the right things is good. But, if that is not demonstrated by showing him day to day how that plays out in our lives, then maybe we haven't properly prepared him.

This really hit me last year when I came across Paul urging the Corinthians to imitate him. You know he says this quite a bit (I Corinthians 4:16, 11:1, Philippians 3:17, 4:9, etc…). I have heard this before. God purposed for Paul to be a spiritual giant as an example to us. But can I say that about myself to those around me who look up to me, like my children? Am I supposed to be able to say that of myself? God has commissioned me to be the father and spiritual leader of these children and as such, I need to be able to ask them to look to me as an example. I need to live as an example they can follow. How?

We should look to Paul's example, because he showed us how. He tells Corinth (and us) to imitate him because he imitates Christ (I Corinthians 11:1). You see, the example he followed was the one of our Lord and Savior. Jesus tells us in Luke9:23 to die to ourselves and follow Him. Paul deeply understood this. He did and continually died to his wants and desires and by faith in Christ surrendered to have Christ live through him (Galatians 2:20). It was not even on his own strength or ability that he achieved this life for others to follow. Becoming more like Christ is about letting Christ, through His Spirit, work in my life. If I can demonstrate a submission to the Holy Spirit to work through me for God's glory, then I can ask someone to follow me, as I follow Christ.

Our gracious God has been kind to help me see this truth in my life. I am not a perfect example. I fall and sin. In fact, I still sin a lot. But God has been working there also to show me that even in moments of weakness, I can model a life to follow through repentance and dependence on Christ to fight against the evil in my heart. Daily, by the power of Christ in me, I can humbly say, "Be an imitator of me, as I am an imitator of Christ".