“I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.”   1 Corinthians 4:16-17

Today I am continuing to use my Father’s Day sermon from two weeks ago as a framework for this week’s devotion. Our text is 1 Corinthians 4:14-21. Last week I spoke of the fatherly trait of compassion that all of us should illustrate to those under our care. This week we are not only reminded of a father’s compassion, but also a father’s authentic example – the testimony of Paul’s life was that he lived openly before them. He was what they saw.

Paul lived so transparently that he has the confidence to ask the Corinthians to use his life as a model for their own: “Therefore I urge you to imitate me….” Now, you may find those words to be pretty bold, even stunning. Imagine saying to somebody, “I want you to model your life on mine.” Could we say that to somebody? Would we? Why would Paul say something like this? Wouldn’t it be safer to say, “Imitate Christ”? Why does Paul take the risk? Why does he use himself as the primary example?

We need to remember that the epistle to the Corinthians was one of the earliest books written. People could not go to the local bookstore and read about Christ. The gospels were not even written yet. That is why the example of the apostles was so important at that time. God know that people need examples in their lives. That is why He sent Christ. That is why He sent Paul. That is why he sends us.

Every year I was coaching I gave my football or softball players a poem. I would read it to them and explain to them how impactful they were in the lives of they young kids who watched them. I would read it aloud mentioning some things along the way and I would change the boy to girl for my softball teams. Here is that poem:

There are little eyes upon you and they’re watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager to do anything you do;
And a little boy who’s dreaming of the day he’ll be like you.

You’re the little fellow’s idol, you’re the wisest of the wise.
In his little mind about you no suspicions ever rise.
He believes in you devoutly, holds all you say and do;
He will say and do, in your way when he’s grown up just like you.

There’s a wide-eyed little fellow who believes you’re always right;
and his eyes are always opened, and he watches day and night.
You are setting an example every day in all you do;
For the little boy who’s waiting to grow up to be just like you.

Author Unknown

If was very important to me that the players understood their influence on youngsters and I even extended the poem beyond athletics. I would talk about parenting and mentoring and modeling in their future. I would reflect back when I would watch Grants Pass Cavemen athletes when I was young and tried to be like them. I would stand by the gate when the football players would go into the game, come out at halftime, and after the game with the hope that one of them would slap my hand. Many did.

We had an all-league quarterback that was pigeon-toed. I can’t tell you the number of kids I saw that actually tried walking that way thinking it would improve their play. I looked up to players when I was young and surprisingly as I got older some kids looked up to me. We don’t have to tell others to imitate us, if they look up to us, they just will.

One day a father looked out his window to see his son trying to build a small shed in the back yard. It suddenly collapsed and the boy let out with a string of cuss words. The father ran out into the back yard and started demanding who had taught him those words. The boy looked at his father and said, “I learned them from you.” The old saying, “Do as I say, not as I do” is a formula for failure. What we do will always have more influence than what we say.

Do we have the confidence to ask others to imitate us. In fact, let each of us ask this question of ourselves. If everyone around us imitated us would your church be a better place. If they imitated our Bible reading, our prayer life, our service to others, our speech, our use of time, our dedication, our thought life… would your church a better place. It is something for all of us to think about.

Paul and the Apostles were the first copy of the New Testament that others had the chance to read, If our lives were the first glimpse of the Bible people around guys would they want to read further or say, “That book doesn’t interest me.”

The reason Jesus was the most influential man to walk the earth was because He was totally and completely authentic. He was everything that He said He was and He illustrated that in His every action. That is why He could say that anyone who believes He was who He said He was would have everlasting life. When we believe in Christ we believe He was the Messiah, God in the flesh, our Savior, our Redeemer and the only one Who can bring everlasting life. His realness gives us hope.

That is why it is important that we are genuine, authentic, and real. If we are fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, aunts, coaches, teachers, neighbors, or friends someone is looking up to us. We are all role models to someone. We should take that role seriously.