model – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

Be an example? Me?

For you yourselves know how you should imitate us…we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate us. (2 Thessalonians 3:7, 9)

Those words really hit me this morning. Paul’s words are pretty bold: “You yourselves know how you should imitate us.”

Honestly, I don’t know if I feel that bold.

I see all my flaws. I see all the areas I still need to grow.

Why would people want to imitate me?

But God calls all of us to make disciples. Not just the pastors. Not just the church leaders. All of us. He calls all of us to make ourselves examples to the people in our lives so that they would imitate us.

And I suppose that means them not only seeing our strengths and imitating them, but seeing us working on our flaws as well.

And to see us moment to moment, day by day, walking in God’s grace, not under condemnation for our flaws, but with full confidence as children of God.

Father, I desire to be someone others want to imitate. In a lot of ways, I feel unworthy of that.

But as people watch me, let them see not only my admirable qualities that they want to imitate, let them also see the grace I walk in each day as I’m working on my flaws. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Living by grace

Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

Those are pretty remarkable words, don’t you think?

“Do you want the God of peace to be with you? Do what you have learned, heard, and seen in me.”

I don’t know that I would have the confidence to say that. And yet, perhaps the greatest lesson Paul taught the Philippians and all the other churches he ministered to was living by grace.

To not feel the pressure of performing in order to be approved by God. Rather, being fully confident that Christ had already made him righteous in God’s eyes. (Philippians 3:2-9)

To live rejoicing each day in the grace he had received. Not only in the grace of the cross, but in the grace to live each day, whether facing plenty or hunger, abundance and need. (4:12-13)

And because of the grace he had received, he was willing to pour it out on those around him, even when they didn’t “measure up” to his expectations, disagreed with him, or were even downright hostile to him. (1:15-17)

Was Paul perfect in living by grace? Probably not. He had problems showing grace to Mark earlier in his ministry (Acts 15:37-39).

But he learned (2 Timothy 4:11).

And he continued to learn to live by grace each day. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

May we all live lives marked by that same grace.

And may others see the grace that marks our lives and seek to know that grace as well.

If we do, truly the God of peace will be with us all.