Are You a Good Role Model? by Ramona Honan

ARE YOU A GOOD ROLE MODEL?

by Ramona Honan

Who is a good role model? Better yet, who would be a good role model in today's world? The baseball player taking steroids? The movie star taking drugs? The politician with a hidden scandal? The fallen pop music star? Or the Christian role model?

Of course, we know there are good role models and bad models, and we all want to be a good role model. We do not want to be an exact duplicate of that role model person, as we know God has made us all as different individuals each with different qualities. But we do want to adopt a Christian role model's values, virtues, and ethics.

Christ was and still is the ultimate role model! In order to be his role model, we need emulate Christ in our lives. That is what Christianity is all about in this day and age—just as it was in the beginning. We can be an example, as Christ would want us to be in this world. We can be his earthly Christian role model.

But in what ways can we being to become good role models? For starters:

1. A good role model is responsible and acceptable to the Church, family, and to the world:

I Thess. 1:4 - 6

4 . . . knowing, brethren beloved by God, {His} choice of you;

5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

2 Pet. 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

2. A good role model does what is right and speaks out against wrong.

Jeremiah 1:10

See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

2 Cor. 10:4 -5

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

{We are} destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and {we are} taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Heb. 4:12

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

3. A good role model teaches others about God.

Heb. 5:12

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Col. 3:16

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms {and} hymns {and} spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

4. Age is not a barrier to being a good role barrier. We can be young or old--and still be a good role model.

I Tim. 4:12

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

I Cor. 11:1

. . . imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

I Thess. 1:6

You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

and

Titus

2:7

In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, {with} purity in doctrine, dignified,

How can you today start becoming Christ's role model?