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Be An Example
Be An Example
“Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:12).
Last week, the college class studied this verse and discussed how to be examples to other believers. This verse is aimed at young people like our college students, but the opportunity to be an example to other believers is one that everyone should take part in. This article will look at additional verses that address the importance of each of the five categories of 1 Timothy 4:12.
Speech
“Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things” (James 3:4-5).
If there were a group of ships trying to dock in a harbor, but none of them knew how to use their rudder, then every ship would eventually crash. But if there was one ship with a pilot who controlled his rudder, everyone else could see how important controlling the rudder is. In the same way, if we do not control our tongues, there is going to be a lot of crashing into each other. But if one person can control his or her tongue, everyone else can learn from that example. Be an example to others in your speech by controlling your tongue.
Conduct
“Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6).
Errors are contagious. In the biggest game of the season, the Yankees made three errors in one inning. This led to five unearned runs in the inning and the Dodgers winning the World Series. None of those errors should have happened in the first place, but once one person makes a mistake it becomes much easier to make one yourself. Our conduct as Christians is equally contagious. Do not be the leaven that leavens the whole lump. Be an example in conduct.
Love
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Showing love to others is also contagious. There are many ways to show love, but I have seen love shown recently by Zack Grogan. After services, Zack was going around giving people hugs. As he made his way to me, James Wright was also walking by me.
After Zack gave me a hug, James did too. James had never shown love to me like that before, and it was Zack’s example that encouraged James to do the same. Love is contagious.
Faith
“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
There are many ways to show each other our faith, but the best way to start is simply with our presence. Just by being here, you show the others that are here that you also value being together to worship. If it was difficult for you to be here, appreciate what others also went through to be here with you. Be an example of faith just by being here.
Purity
“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:12).
Peter uses the imagery of war to explain the threat of fleshly lusts. It is impossible to win a war by yourself, so we must go to war together. Fighting the temptation of fleshly lusts to remain pure is going to be noticeable. Even if you have struggled in the past, you can still be an example to everyone in the way you fight to be pure.
– William Speer
