“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia” (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7).
One of the most effective ways we learn is by imitating others. We learn to speak the language of our parents by copying what we hear from them. Many young people learn to drive cars by following the examples of those who instruct them. That, also, is the way we learn what the Christian life is like.
The safest way to learn how to live is by following the examples of those who show us how it’s done and, mostly, by following the Lord. That’s one reason the Gospels are so essential to our spiritual growth. We study the Bible because that is the unadulterated message given to all of us.
The result is that we, then, become models for others to follow. The challenge for us as believers is to leave footprints that will lead others to Jesus. After all, each believer is following Him.
