That being said, let me talk about one of my grandsons today. The one I have in mind is number five. I call him 005. The others, of course, are known to me as 001, 002, 003, 004, 006, and yes, 007!
Now, 00s 1-4 are all up and running. Literally! 006 just started toddling; and 007 recently began crawling - at quite an impressive clip, I might add. But my thoughts today concern 005, who has just mastered the fine art of walking. Suffice it to say that, as his confidence grows, he is increasing his pace daily.
Now that you have the backstory, here is the incident I want to relate. A few days ago, through a conjunction of circumstances, yours truly was officially appointed babysitter for the morning with 005.
After exhausting my supply of distractions, including the proffering of toys, YouTube “Blippi” videos, “Simple Songs” episodes, and even attempted outright bribery with “Fruit Roll-Ups”, “M&Ms”, “Nutter Butters”, and the very popular “Goldfish”, I was desperate!
Not knowing what else to do, I decided to entertain him instead.
I started walking around my daughter’s kitchen and dining room in a great big circle. As I did, I started taking exaggerated strides in slow motion. To my surprise, and delight, 005 started to mimic me. With an enormous smile on his face, he began to follow my example by taking his own version of giant steps.
For whatever reason, he was thoroughly enjoying the whole experience. What is more, this went for quite some time. In fact, it went on until I chose to try something new. After about ten minutes, I stopped and turned around and started to walk backwards. My purpose was to see if he would mimic this as well. Surprisingly, he did not. He just stood there until I tired of walking backwards, turned around, and resumed taking my giant strides forward. Once this happened, he too resumed his forward progression.
In his first New Testament Letter to them (chapter 11, verse 1), the Apostle Paul encourages the Christians at ancient Corinth to follow his example. The New International Version states: “Follow my example…” The English Standard Version puts it this way: “Be imitators of me…”
Paul was clearly seeking to have the Corinthians mimic his ways. But that is not all he stated. He put a qualifier on his that mimicry. The reminder of his statement, according to the NIV is: “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” Thus, the ESV states: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
The point here is that even the Apostle Paul himself knew that his personal example was only worthy of being followed when it reflected the example of Jesus Christ. As long as Paul was following Jesus, he himself was worthy of being followed. But if he ever ceased following the example of Christ, then he himself was not worthy of being followed.
In what amounts to an example of “a little child shall lead them”, my grandson seems to have instinctively understood that I was to be followed as long as I was going forward. But once I changed course and started going backward, he realized that my example was no longer worthy of being followed.
To his everlasting credit, he seems to have sensed that going backward was not natural. Therefore, it was not commendable. And thus, it was not worthy of imitation.
Believe me when I say that I took note of this! As a grandfather, I realize that seven sets of eyes are constantly upon me. They are looking for a worthwhile example to follow. Woe unto me if I do not grasp this, and lead them to take giant steps forward! Woe unto me, if instead, I choose to lay down an example of going backward rather than forward!
As a minister, the same thing applies to my example before fellow believers. Like the Apostle Paul, I can choose to lay down either a Christlike example or a non-Christlike example. But woe unto me if it proves to be the latter rather than the former!
In the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verses 2-7, we read the following teaching from our Lord and Savior:
2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
6“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble!
May I never cause any of my seven little grandsons to stumble! May I never cause any Christian, at any level of maturity, to stumble! May I always encourage them to take giant strides forward! And above all, may I do this by personally and continuously following the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/11-1.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/18.htm.