Setting A Good Example
“Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all” (1Tim. 4:15).
When people follow us, what are they looking for? The answer to that question may be as varied as the individuals themselves. Some want a parent figure, some want a big brother or sister. Some want to learn a few specific skills, and some want specific help in developing a new business plan. However, most want to follow people who know where they are going and have genuine passion about getting there. Those two traits are not that complicated, but the combination is surprisingly rare.
Paul wrote Timothy an abundance of instructions and the rationale to implement them. However, he did not want Timothy to just go through the motions. He gave him sound advice. Think long and hard about all that I have written to you so that it sinks deep below the surface and become an integral part of your life, and that is not all. Don’t just think about these things; pour your life into them, everything you have got – body, mind and soul! When people see that they will notice and them they will follow.
Paul understood that being an example does not come from a manual. It comes from the heart. We may move bodies by our directions, but we move hearts when they are convinced that we really understand the ins and outs of what we are talking about. Further, when we show them that we are devoted to the purpose. Insight and passion – that is modeling the right stuff.
When we are trying to have an influence on someone else, it is tempting to rely solely on words. Obviously, advice is an easier thing to give than a good example, and that’s why most of us end up saying so often to our friends and family, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
But if being an example is difficult and costly, there can be no doubt that it’s worth the cost. Influence almost always requires the use of words, but it can rarely be limited to words. Real impact requires more — it comes from modeling the principles and practices we wish others to adopt.
So, all things considered, the most powerful and influential people in the world aren’t the eloquent orators or the motivational masterminds, nor are they the celebrities or the front-page newsmakers. More often than not, they’re just the ordinary, everyday folks who quietly go about the business of living high-quality lives each day.
We have it within our power to give many gifts to those around us, but no gift is more valuable than the living of an exemplary life. In fact, nothing else will mean much if our manner of life is not what it ought to be. If our lives are out of sync with the principles of goodness, no other gifts can make up for the inconsistency.
“The first great gift we can bestow on others is a good example” (Thomas Morell).
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