What would the church look like if there were no spectators? If every believer was using their unique gifts to build up the body of Christ, as it says in Ephesians 4:11-13? Or, at an even more basic level, what would it look like if every follower of Jesus simply paid attention to the impact their life was having on their brothers and sisters?
In his first letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul wrote:
Command and teach these things. 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. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress (1 Timothy 4:11-15).
Timothy was told to “command and teach,” but more than that, to set an example. Not just explain the gospel to the people he led, but also demonstrate it. And interestingly, even though Timothy was already a leader, Paul wanted him to make sure that “everyone may see your progress.” Timothy, the leader, was still growing and learning, and Paul wanted him to let everybody see that.
We should not expect to arrive at a “maturity,” where there is no real need to keep growing. We should not expect leaders in the church to have arrived there either. And those of us who are leaders, in any way and at any level, should be transparent enough to let others see that we are still growing. Equally, none of us can wait until we arrive at “maturity” to begin influencing others.
Obviously, not everyone who follows Jesus holds a formal position of leadership like Timothy did. But simply by being human and living in a society of humans, every one of us is an influencer, whether we want to be or not. Regardless of what I do, my actions will have an impact on the lives of the people around me. As long as I continue to live in society, I will influence others. But I can choose how I will influence them.
Paul told Timothy to set an example “in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity,” and also to let them see his growth in the Lord. Those are the areas where it would be well for me, too, to set an example. Not because I’m a leader, but because I’m trying to be a faithful follower. My responsibility is to set an example; it’s not my job, and it’s not in my power, to force anyone else to follow. It has not escaped my attention, however, that staying aware of what kind of example I am setting helps me in my own growth. It gives me a strong incentive to remain faithful and obedient as I follow Christ.
My charge to you reading this, then, is not to set an example for the people around you; you’re going to do that regardless. My charge to you is simply to pay attention to what kind of an example you are setting. And when you see, as you surely will, that people aren’t following your example, that they’re not even paying attention to the fact that you are setting an example, keep doing it anyway. As the Scripture says:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
So, what will it look like if every one of us is aware and deliberate about being an example for our brothers and sisters? Let’s find out!