March 22 Bible Reading Plan

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

-Paul

WOW!

What a challenge from Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1. It is bold, it is confident, and it is extremely, extremely scary!

Yet, it is a challenge we should all embrace. But to do so, we need to ask ourselves what kind of example we are leaving to follow. This self-examination is crucial in our journey of faith.

The model life of a man of God, the blueprint of how we should live, is one of mentorship and discipleship. It was Jesus's last command before He returned to His Heavenly Father: We are to go and make disciples. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Making disciples and mentoring someone else means you use your life as an example of how they should live. You are literally giving them a tour of manhood…mantour=mentor.

Our God-given responsibility is to live a life that younger men can observe and use as a model. They should see how we live and then try to go even further in their walk with God than we have. This is a weighty responsibility, but it is God's plan for man.

We are talking about heavy stuff here. It is life and death. It always needs to be at the front of our minds. If it were, I think fewer sins and fewer compromises would occur among God's men.

Paul's challenge reminds us to live our lives with purpose. We must remember that we don't run the race set before us for our personal gain but for the benefit of the next generation.

Just as we look to the great men of the Bible for guidance, the next generation looks to us for inspiration. Let's strive to set positive examples for them to follow.

So, how does this impact our lives?

I believe the key takeaway is that every decision we make, every path we choose, is being observed by others. Our spiritual journey and our walk with God are not hidden; instead, they are like glass houses where others can see and be influenced by our actions. It's important for us to regularly assess ourselves and ensure that we are setting a positive example for others to follow.

We must always remember that no man is an island, and how we live doesn't just affect our own lives; it influences countless other lives around us. If we keep this focus in our lives and commit to following God wholeheartedly with fervency and passion, rejecting sin and temptation while pursuing God's grace and will, we can walk forward and emulate Paul's sentiment: "I'm following God. Watch me and follow God, too."