SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING

A scenario which most of us have seen or at least heard about is one of a little boy watching his father shave and imitating the procedure with an enormous handful of shaving cream and a pretend razor. Very carefully, the child mimics his father paying attention to every small detail as done by his father, whom he considers a "hero."

It is not uncommon for children to look up to those who are older or wiser than they are. For this reason, little brothers and sisters will never cease to imitate their older siblings. These scenarios, however, are not exclusive to older and younger siblings or even younger or older people. The truth of the matter is that just as you and I look up to certain individuals, there are some looking to us for guidance and example. Tho those who are being looked up to, a certain responsibility is given. It is, however, their actions which are molding and influencing people whether they realize it or not.

Setting a good example has been our responsibility during our life. Most of us still have that responsibility. We are careful of what we say and how we behave because of our children and others who look up to us. Most of us, without thinking, do what we can so that those around us will have a good example to go by. There are some families where a child has to grow up in an immoral household with no decent person to look up to. This is tragic, because many times the child is stripped of opportunities, and he will grow up acting as those he was exposed to as a child.

If young people and new Christians do not have strong examples to follow as they test their wings, the chances of them growing into strong Christians decrease. It is our responsibility as Christians to help one another grow, and we can do a great deal by simply setting a good example. Many Christians do not feel confident enough to talk to someone about the Bible and, because of this, feel like they aren't doing what they should. If you are living in a way that is pleasing to God, you are reaching people. Though you may not always realize it, there is someone learning from you. If you are behaving in a way a Christian should, then those around you are getting a good message. If you are not living as you should, then those lessons, too, are being learned by those around you. We can be a great help to those who immitate us if we will do as Paul suggested to the Ephesians and "be imitators of God as dear children" (Eph. 5:1).

By Joshuah Ellis in News & Notes, Aug. 1, 2004.

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