A role model is a person who leads by example, ideally someone whose lifestyle inspires us to follow in ways that will be helpful and beneficial to others. Celebrities are often perceived as role models because of the influence they have on impressionable young people. As Garry discussed on Sunday, however, celebrities are not, simply by virtue of their fame, necessarily good role models, for to be a good role model we need values as well as behaviour that are worthy of emulation. There’s far more to life than how we look, what clothes we wear or how much money we have!
Children learn behaviour by watching others and copying what they see. They learn to speak by listening to others and imitating what they say. It is therefore crucial that our speech and behaviour are worth copying!
Paul’s letters to TImothy, a young pastor left in charge of the church at Ephesus, urge him to ‘set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.’ (1 Tim 4:12) He often speaks of himself as a father to believers whose example should be followed (see 1 Cor 11:1, 1 Thess 1:6). This is a sobering thought for each one of us. What example are we setting others? Is there consistency in how we live? (values are rarely taught as such, but are definitely ‘caught’ by our children!)
Paul gives us areas to examine:
- how we speak and what we say (our words and tone of voice should encourage and build others up, not denigrate them and discourage them; our speech needs to build faith in people, not sow seeds of doubt and ideas of failure.)
- how we live (showing consistency of behaviour, not moodiness or manipulation; we should be people whose lives are upright, honest, without guile or deceit.)
- how we love (always the bottom line when it comes to motive; love urges us to think of others and not just our own selfish needs.)
- how we demonstrate faith (moving forward in God, not settling in a land of comfort, but always pressing on – Phil 3:12)
- how we live obediently in purity (learning to crucify the old nature and live without addictions, self-indulgence and sloppiness, paying attention to what we think, eat and do, refusing to let appetites rule us, living not as animals – who live by instincts – but as people made in the image of God.)
People need role models and God calls us to ‘shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life.’ (Phil 2:15-16) The Message version says ‘provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night.’ That is our calling and destiny: to be those light-emitting disciples whose lives are far more worthy of emulation than celebrities whose values are only temporal and selfish. When people look at us, they need to see love, light, joy, forgiveness, good temper, humour, integrity, consistency, perseverance and faith. God’s Spirit within us grows His fruit and shines forth.
