Mimic

Right now I am involved in studies of Philippians, Mark, and 2 Corinthians, as well as an ongoing topical study on the Kingdom of God.  So it may be that a lot of the next few months’ blog posts will come from those efforts.  That being said…

Reading through Philippians recently 4:9 virtually leaped off of the page.  As you are aware, the focus of this blog and Entrusting Truth is to equip fathers to lead their families in the Word of God.  We do that through workshops, small groups, and one on one meetings.  In all of those formats one truth is emphasized over and over, one cannot lead something in which one is not engaged.  One can comment or criticize ignorantly (and many do), but one cannot lead.

Philippians 4:9 is a jarring reminder of this.  The first half of the verse is universally true, those who are around us, especially our kids, will learn, receive, hear, and see what we do and will mimic.  The second half of the verse is partially dependent on what we model.  If we model following hard after God, our kids and the people around us have that model to follow.  However, if I model following hard after the world that becomes the model they will follow.  I said partially dependent, because God is the one who uses our modeling in the lives of others.  Often He has, in His grace, redeemed and shaped those who had no good model to follow hard after Him.  This probably does not need to be said, but that God can clean up our messes is no reason to create them (Romans 6:1ff).