A Living Example
1 Peter 4:7-11
“7. The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
There is no question that the most effective teaching is done when someone watches you. There is a saying, “More is caught than taught.” How often we learn when we watch others put lessons into practice.
That is the same in faith. People read the ancient Scriptures from Moses, kings and prophets, but it wasn’t until Jesus came that the world saw pure righteousness in action. It came from a heart toward His Father God. It came from His love toward His disciples, from relating to the lost and hurting, but mostly, people saw faith at work when it came to His suffering on the cross.
We can teach all we want, but what we do is more closely watched.
In a book, “View from the Zoo”, Gary Richmond writes about the birth of a giraffe: The mother giraffes lowers her head long enough to take a quick look at the wobbly calf. She waits for about a minute, and then she swings her long, leg outward and kicks her baby, so that it is sent sprawling head over heels. If it doesn't get up, the violent process is repeated over and over again. Even when it stands, she does it again. Why? She wants it to remember how it got up. In the wild, the baby giraffes must be able to get up as quickly as possible in order to stay with the herd where there is safety. Lions, hyenas, leopards, and wild hunting dogs all enjoy young giraffes. If the mother didn't teach her calf to get up quickly it would be killed.
Sometimes it seems that, when Christians rise up, they get knocked down again and again. Lots of experiences challenge the faith of the believer in Jesus. Complete dependency on the Lord is a life long lesson. We are placed in positions where there are times in our lives all the resources we can think of fail us and we have nothing more than faith in God. We need to watch those who are more mature in the faith to see how they live, not just when times are good, but especially when the resources of man no longer work and all they have is their faith that sustains them daily - the power and presence of the Lord.
It seems that God is helping us to remember how to get up when we have been knocked down. We need to be continually dependent upon Him for all things.
In Peter letter to a persecuted people, he points them to focus on the Lord's glorious coming when they will receive their rewards and will see His godly revenge on those who are ungodly. Until that time comes we are to demonstrate faith to the babes in Christ.
We will be looking at some important ways to be an example to the believers in our faith walk.
Think on who might be watching you today. Are you a help to them in what they see in you - in challenges as well as blessings?
Dale
