Be An Example

As Christians, our number one goal in life should be to follow God and to be in His will. Part of this, for every Christian, is living a Godly life. We are chosen by God to be an example. We are to be examples for non-Christians, but more importantly, we should be an example for our Christian brothers and sisters.

What does this mean exactly?
Well, there are plenty of things that we probably already do that are a good foundation. Going to church whenever the doors are open. Volunteering and spending time giving back to God. Reading the Bible. Doing a devotional. Helping those around us and even those we don't know. Being slow to anger. Always having a kind word to say. Praying. And most importantly, wanting God's will for our lives more than we desire our own will for our lives.
That one's not always so easy, especially when we get down farther into God's word.

The word "example" is found 11 times in the King James Version of the Bible. More than half are related to the exact thing I am talking about.

John 13:15, 1 Corinthians 10:6, 1 Corinthians 10:11, 1 Timothy 4:12, Hebrews 4:11, James 5:10, 1 Peter 2:21, 1 Peter 5:3
Each of these 8 verses contains the word "example." Now, I could just give you the verses, but I think that they are a lot stronger when they are in context. This is going to be rather lengthy, but reading it and understanding it is worth the time.

John 13:12-17 - So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

1 Corinthians 10:1-14 - Moreoever, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. Bur with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolators, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Now all these thigns happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

1 Timothy 4:11-16 - These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect no the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands in the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Hebrews 4:1-12 - Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, AS I HAVE SWORN IN MY WRATH, IF THEY SHALL ENTER INTO MY REST: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, AND GOD DID REST THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS. And in this place again, IF THEY SHALL ENTER INTO MY REST. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

James 5 - Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lieved in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton: ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prohetes, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea by yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. Is any among you afflicted: let him pray. Is any merry: let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 2:15-25 - For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1 Peter 5:1-11 - The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be viligant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. A-men.

As I read through these verses, it is clear to me how important it is for me to "talk the talk AND walk the walk" that God is leading me to do.
There are a lot of more... controversial topics related to this subject. The biggest in my mind is alcohol. I have struggled with the words and the examples to present to those around me in order to show them why I have chosen to not drink alcohol, and why I believe that they should do the same.

Yesterday at lunch, my mom told my family a story about a woman she had heard on the radio. This woman used to drink. The woman told her story of why she then decided to give up drinking. Her reason? She read in the Bible how, as a Christian, she was to be an example to her brothers and sisters and that she was not to be a stumbling block to them. Then she thought about how her Christian brothers and sisters watch her and see the example of the things that she does. If she was out drinking and a Christian saw her, he or she might think that drinking was an acceptable thing to do. Later on that Christian might drink and then attempt to drive home. That Christian then might cause a car accident and kill themselves and/or others involved in the accident.
That day, the woman decided that she could no longer drink alcohol, because she is an example and she would feel responsible for the death of that Christian who saw her drinking and then decided to drink.

I, personally, think that this is an amazing story. And an amazing act of God that He showed this woman this revelation and has since then allowed her to share her story with others. I can't make up your mind for you. All I can do is present the facts that I have found in my own life. I hope that my life will be a shining example for Jesus Christ. I know that at times I will slip up. I am just a human being. But I also know that with God's help, I can live a live that is a better example for Him than I could ever accomplish by trying to live a good life on my own. I pray that He will speak to hearts today as He has spoken to my own.

God Bless,
Taylor