Wednesday, November 5, 2008

EXAMPLE

1 Corinthians 11:1—Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

In the journey of life, everyone parades past glass windows. Eyes will watch your actions today. Ears will hear your words and attempt to define your heart. Your character will be measured. The manner in which you walk, the nonverbals you express, how you listen to what others say, each of these are the brush strokes shaping your caricature on the canvas others paint.

Countless times I have been in a room and had someone apologize for crude, vulgar language—not because I said something, but because of what they had not heard me say. Many of you have experienced similar occurrences. The best sermon a person may ever glean is how you and I live our lives. King David wrote in Psalm 16:8, "I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." He understood a potent truth—keep God in front. By doing so, one’s life is not defined by circumstance but by faithful-stance.

Don’t despair if you are not behind a microphone, if you labor behind the scenes, if you fear you have no message to share and your life seems as riveting as a tired rerun. Get up this morning armed with the knowledge that what you do does matter! How you live is important! You have no idea how much God can use you to be an encourager to others. Perhaps it will be a child, a co-worker, a spouse, employees, or a neighbor, who will learn a valuable lesson by what you model. Ask God right now to give you the blessing of being a blessing to someone else—before the sun rolls past the horizon!

Do you suppose God celebrates when you and I measure our thoughts and actions and patiently resolve to be like His Son? Aspire to be an example for the glory of the One Who loves you. "God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them"--Hebrews 6:10.

Inspiration

The men and women who lift and inspire us are those who struggle for self—not for self-assertiveness, that is a sign of weakness—but for the development of personality. There are some people in whose company you cannot have a mean thought without being instantly rebuked.—Oswald Chambers in The Place of Help