Anglican Devotional 23 May 2024: Role Model Faith Zone

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 23 May 2024 – Role Model

TOPIC: Role Model

READ: Philippians 3: 17-21 (NKJV)

Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
whose end [is] destruction, whose god [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame — who set their mind on earthly things.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

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THE MESSAGE:

Yesterday, we read about what Paul’s goals were. We discovered that Paul’s goals were beyond his physical body or earthly materials. In continuation of that, Paul in today’s text is admonishing the people to follow his example just like he followed the example of Jesus Christ (verse 17, 1 Corinthians 11: 1). What the people were to imitate was the Christian life of how Paul put into practice the principles of Christ in his own life. The message here is that those who are weak or are still babies in the faith should see those who are strong or mature in faith as role models. This does not make those who are strong superior to those who are weak or make them to have control over the weak. What Paul was saying is that the weak – who are considered babies in the faith-should observe the behaviour of the strong brethren as far as they are in line with the nature of Jesus Christ.

Beloved, there is nothing wrong in having a role model, but it is important to watch and prayerfully choose role models for yourself. Make sure that people you imitate are proclaiming the Gospel genuinely and living by it. It will be so disastrous to imitate a man who preaches the Gospel for personal gain or self-gorification. People whose selfish desires come first are not worthy to be emulated as they would end up leading their followers into eternal destruction. Be careful in choosing a role model, because it is not everyone who preaches the Gospel that does so for the sake of heaven. Remember, Jesus said “Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord; shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven (Matthew 7: 21).