FOR EXAMPLE.

12 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct,
in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of
scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was
given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15
Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.
16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in
doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.
----1 Timothy 4:12-16 (NRSV)
As I considered what text to use for this Mothers Day, I found verse 12 in this
passage coming to my mind. I was thinking of what a wonderful example is set for us as
we are nurtured in our early years by out mothers. I thought about how important that
example is, particularly in our formative years, for two reasons: one, because we humans
are so visually based and are affected strongly by what we see, and two, because we are
such imitative creatures.
I was reading an article this week about some of the dangers that face our young
people simply because they imitate what they see. The article told about the Reebok
company pulling an ad which showed an athlete jumping over an oncoming carbecause
some teenagers in Kentucky were trying to do the computer-generated stunt for real. One
of them broke his leg and ankle trying to perform the daredevil stunt. Other problems
have arisen from teen imitators of stunts performed on an MTV show. The stuntman
there tried, among other things, lying on a barbecue in a fire-resistant suit hung with
steaks. A 13-year-old in Connecticut suffered second-degree burns when he tried to
imitate the trick.1
These events may shock us and make us wonder why people would do such
things, but they remind us once again of the infinite importance of sight in learning. Our
bodies are simply geared for sight, we are wired for it like we are for nothing else.
Scientists tell us we have over one million cells in each eye, constantly processing visual
input and sending signals to the brain. If we combined the cellular involvement of the
body for the senses of smell, taste, and hearing combined, there would still be no
comparison.
Seeing is believing is the old adage we are taught, and there is more truth in the
statement than we sometimes realize. Jesus knew the truth of sight learning as well as
anyone, and He surely had it in mind when He scolded a crowd with the words, Except
you see signs and wonders you will not believe. And so Jesus commonly taught in
parables, lessons which by design are stories that produce IMAGES in our minds. The
fact is, we all learn best by the examples we see, and people who set good Christian
examples before others have the potential for great influence for Gods Kingdom.
I. THE EXAMPLES OF OTHERS HAS INFLUENCE ON US

We may be influenced for either good or evil by the good or bad examples we see.
In the Old Testament Mosaic law, there was common use of the law to make public
examples. Anyone guilty of trespass under the Levitical laws could face any of a
number of types of punishment, nearly all of which were carried out publicly. The
bad examples were there as a lesson for the entire people. Some of the restrictions
had been relaxed by New Testament times, but the power of example was still there to
be seen. Jesus chided the Pharisees for their poor example before the people: Not
only do you not enter the Kingdom yourselves, but you shut the door to others by
your example.
Then, of course, we have good examples from the Word from those who led
exemplary lives. Abraham is the prime example of faith, Moses an example of
prophetic, God-led leadership, Job the supreme witness of patience. From the New
Testament we have Barnabas the Son of Encouragement, and the unforgettable
witness and life of Paul (who himself was keenly aware at all times of his example).
And I believe every one of us here today can look back over our lives and confirm the
value of the influence upon us made by the examples others have set for us.
II. OUR EXAMPLES ALSO INFLUENCE OTHERS
This is a statement we may not fully affirm in ourselves, but I believe it to be true
of every person who names the name of Christ. We all have the eyes of someone on
us, many times without being aware of it. That makes it so important that our lives
live up to our verbal witness. Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary: Those who
teach by their doctrine must teach by their life, or else they pull down with one hand
what they build up with the other. The old proverb we have been taught for years is
actions speak louder than words.
And it seems to me that all we have to do is tell someone we are Christians and
there will be eyes watching every move we make. Some of the most keenly critical
eyes I have ever found were among those who used to profess the faith and have
drifted away. Many of them have been given the gift of discernment and can tell
when others are insincere in their faith and witness, and that has become the point of
separation for them. I find this thing of personal example and influence to be
extremely important in our witness to those outside the faith, for many of them can
spot our hypocrisies and insincerities better than we can see them ourselves. We need
so much to follow Pauls warning, Do not let your good be spoken of as evil.
We also need to remember that when one member of the body suffers, we all
suffer. As I prepared this message I could not help but be reminded of the failure a
few years back of some of the television ministries. Perhaps this is just my own
thinking or interpretation of the fallout, but it seems to me that since that time we
have a cultural sentiment which has become much more strongly and openly antireligious, and particularly, anti-Christian. When Christians fall, especially publicly,
those who have been in fallout from, or rebellion against the ways of God, find it
much easier to vindicate themselves in their behavior and/or pull others down a peg
with thoughts of what a hypocrite. How important it is to set the example and live
the life before others at all times.

III. OUR EXAMPLE BECOMES PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WITH OUR

CHILDREN AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH
Ever heard anyone looking at a small child make the comment, Hes just a little
monkey? That could probably be said of all children, because they are such natural
imitators. They will automatically imitate the things they see others do, especially
parents. I recall once when I was very young, probably about six years old, imitating
my father in a way he didnt like. I have a brother who is a year older, and we
watched one day as my father threw a cigarette on the ground. We were so certain he
didnt see us, but as we grabbed it and started for the back of the house, we heard,
Where do you think youre going with that? And then we had to listen to a lecture
and a warning. But the lecture probably went in one ear and out the other, because
my brother and I both took up smoking in our teen years. You see, the example being
set before us did not match with the words. And it really never did sink in very well
when we would point out his behavior to him at any time, and he would say, Dont
do like I DO, do like I SAY do. (And I can tell by the knowing looks being passed
right now, Im not the only one who ever heard that statement.)
And one thing I have noticed is that even though children may fail to LISTEN to
their parents, they rarely fail to IMITATE them. This is true also in a spiritual sense.
I conducted a personal survey for an evangelism course in seminary, examining the
ways people come to faith in Christ. The single most influence in leading people to
Christ? By far, it was the parents. Behind parents came pastors, youth pastors,
Sunday School teachers, adults of the church. The influence of the adult members of
the church upon our youth cannot be over-emphasized. In the Methodist church, we
even have it built into our baptismal rituals. Each time a baby or young child is
baptized, we all commit together once again to take an active part in their nurture and
spiritual growth.
Have you ever thought seriously about your influence upon others? What would
be your highs and lows? As I think about this, I guess my high point came when I got
a second-hand report about my nephew. My sister had raised him for a time as a
single mom and circumstances were that I was around him a great deal as a small
child. We developed a mutual affection and as he matured into his teen years, the
bond was maintained. I had always hoped I would have some influence in his life,
and one day someone told me about Eric teaching a Sunday School class. The lesson
was dealing with witness and he told them about the witness and influence of my life
upon him. It was a good feeling that came with hearing this report.
Then I thought about my lowest point. It came at a youth camp in North Carolina,
where I was an assistant counselor. The counselor in our dorm was a rough, gruff
former military man who believed in disciplining with an iron hand. But all the kids
loved him because he also gave them love and respect. He would also let his hair
down once in a while and have fun, like the night he let the kids stuff towels under
their doors and fill the hall with soapy water, then run and see how far they could
slide on the tile floor. The night after he had let them do this, he had a recurrence of a
chronic back problem, which left him flat on his back in bed. He asked me to
substitute for him for the evening, and I consented. Some of the kids approached me
and asked if they could do the sliding in the hall again. I asked Mike first and he said

it would be fine. Right in the middle of the fun, in walked the head counselor and the
camp leader. Their shocked faces and open mouths said it all. When the kids were
asked, What are you DOING? one of them turned, pointed at me and said, HE said
it was okay! You can imagine how small I felt at that moment, even though it hadnt
been my idea, and I wondered at the time about the example I was setting.
So in conclusion, what can we do in light of this passage? I believe we are given
clear instruction in the twelfth verse, as we are urged to be examples in the following
five ways:
(1) In WORDOne study has estimated that we speak an average of 25,000
words a day. And get thisthats for the women, for men its much less, only 10,000.
(Oh, come on now, dont shoot the messenger, it wasnt my study, I just reported the
results.) With that many words being spoken each day, I cant help but wonder: How
many of those are said wrongfully? How many are said hurtfully? And if so, how
many were said that way intentionally? James tells us that if we are able to control
the tongue, we are able to control all our actions. How important that we learn to be
examples in the way we speak.
(2) In CONDUCTPaul writes in another place that we are to walk
circumspectly. That word comes from two roots which mean around (or circle),
and inspect . Put another way, he says to walk all the way around yourself,
examining your behavior. Meditate about your walk from every possible angle.
(3) In LOVEThe first thing that came to my mind here is a verse from 1 John
4:16, God IS love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
(4) In FAITHConsider Hebrews 11, that great roll call of the faithful, that cloud
of witnesses whose example goes before us.
(5) In PURITYThis one gets to the heart of the matter, because it deals with our
innermost being, the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is at this deepest level that
the choice is made whether our example will be Christlike or not.
If we are examples in all these ways, then we will be good motherswe will be good
fatherswe will be good Christians.