Years ago, Gaylon accepted a position with a church in Columbia, SC.  I stayed in Alabama to allow the children to finish the school year and then we joined him in Columbia.  As I walked into the church, I did my usual thing of heading down to the very front row to sit.   I did not sit on the front row because I had to, but because it was my preference.   The farther back one sits, the more distractions there are between a person and what’s happening on the platform.  I still don’t get people dragging in late week after week and enjoying the back row.  Oh well, another sermon for another day!

I knew almost no one in the congregation and was alone on the row.  By the time the service began, three little girls along with their grandmother, joined me.  The girls appeared to be about five, seven and nine.

Before the service began, I noticed the girls staring at me.  As the worship team began singing, I stood with everyone else to worship.  It did not take long to realize that the three girls were copying everything I was doing.  If I raised my hands, they raised their hands.  If I clapped, they clapped.  If I said, “Hallelujah!” they said, “Hallelujah!”  One time, just to check them out, I waved my hands in a funny motion, and sure enough they waved their hands in the same funny motion.   It was evident that my example was directly affecting the actions of those girls.

While I do believe and teach that we must keep our eyes on Jesus, there is a flip side to that.  We are all examples of Jesus Christ, bad or good.  There will be times that people will have their eyes on us.  The question is, “What will they see?”   Now that I have reached the ripe age of sixty, more than ever,  I walk with an awareness that I want my life to be an example of Jesus Christ.   I don’t want to just sing “Hallelujah,”  I want a life that says, “Hallelujah!” which causes others to want their lives to say “Hallelujah!”

You cannot escape being an example to others.  Your only choice is what kind of example you will be.  Someone’s eyes are on you.

“And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your beliefs.”     Titus 2:7  

 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”                       1 Timothy 4:12