Who is Your Model?
June 2, 2023 by John Crause
2 Thessalonians 3: 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us: for we did not behave ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat anyone’s food for free; but worked with difficulty and stress night and day, that we might not put pressure on any of you:
9 Not because we did not have the right to this, but in order to present ourselves as a model, so that you could imitate us. [GBMV]
Human nature is strange at times and we find ourselves being influenced in ways that we do not fully understand.
Through the years I found myself going through different phases in my spiritual experience and I picked up different habits along the way.
Some of these were the words and expressions I used, others related to the way I held myself or presented myself.
For example, I would find myself using a certain expression repeatedly without realizing it. It was only when I watched a recording of my sermons that I noticed some of this.
Where do these things come from? Well it is seldom that we just decide to change our behaviour or speech. Usually it happens because we came under the influence of someone else.
Perhaps you interacted with someone who impressed you and you found yourself speaking or acting just like them. Someone has said that imitation is the highest form of praise.
But not every influence is good for us, and sometimes we pick up a habit from someone else that takes us on a path away from where the Lord has been leading us.
The Apostle Paul spoke in many places about both being a model for others, and also learning to follow the model that has been presented to you.
There is no doubt about the fact that the best form of training is what we call ‘hands on training’. This has also produced an expression that goes: “Show, don’t tell”
As you look at your life right now, I want you to ask yourself these questions honestly and take a good hard look at who has been influencing you the most in your spiritual life.
Firstly, who influenced you the most in your spiritual life and ministry? Do you find yourself unconsciously imitating such people, and is this a good thing in your life?
Secondly, what kind of influence are you having on others around you? Are you providing a good model for them to follow and imitate and does it please you when you see others acting just like you?
Ask the Lord to reveal some of these things to you and see if perhaps it is time to take stock of yourself and your ministry and make some changes.
In His Love
Les D. Crause
Apostle and Servant of Jesus