SOMEONE IS WATCHING YOU

(Preached on Sunday, March 4, 2007)

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me and observe those who live according tot he example you have in us.                                      -Philippians 3:17

 

So much of how we human beings learn C both consciously and subconsciously C is by imitation.  The toddler learns to talk by imitating the sounds he hears from his family members around him, even without knowing at first the meaning of those sounds.  The little girl learns how to be a woman and a mother from imitating what she sees her mother doing.  How we live as adults is also often a product of imitation.

 

We imitate what we see around us.  In some areas of life, that contributes to our success.  It helps us learn.  If I want to excel at some sport, let me study and imitate the best.  That is especially true for golfers.  Serious students of the game not only practice and play, but they watch golfers on television and buy golf magazines primarily to study the pictures and tips offered to help them improve.  If I want to learn how to be a good executive, let me observe and learn from those who have succeeded in their fields.  And if I want to live a godly life, then let me identify the people whose example is worth imitating.

 

That is what Paul is offering to the new Christians in Philippi C himself as an example.  We may think that is awfully bold, even arrogant, of Paul to put himself forward as someone to imitate C but the truth is, for those of us who are seeking to be followers of Jesus and faithful people of God, we are both students and role models.

 

Today I want to focus on the second part of that statement.  I don=t want to focus on the question, AWhom do you follow?@ but rather AWho is following you?@  Who is looking to you to be an imitator of Christ, an example of the faith, a faithful member of God=s family?

 

There are people watching us all the time.  A woman invited some people to dinner.  At the dinner table, she turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, AWould you like to say the blessing?@  To which the girl replied, AI wouldn=t know what to say.@  He mother reassured her though: AJust say what you hear Mommy say.@  The little girl bowed her head and said, ALord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?@  Children especially are watching us and imitating us.

 

When I was growing up, I knew the men and women Christians were supposed to follow.  None of these role models looked like me.  They were Abig humans,@ larger than life, and filled with a faith that I could not imagine I possessed.  They were the women and men who served as missionaries in countries I had barely seen on a map.  They were the heroes who sold all that they had to minister for little or no wages on the streets of the inner city.  They were faith giants and they did not look like me.

 

What I did not understand, what no one told me in those days, is that role models for God=s people come in all shapes and sizes.  Role models walk in the shoes of soccer moms and garbage collectors, teachers and students, executives and kitchen help.  Role models sit in the pews of this church every Sunday and walk the streets of this community every day.  When the apostle Paul said, AStand firm in the Lord,@ he was talking to people like you.  When Paul talked about those who live the example of the Christian life, he was talking about people like you.  You are not just one who follows the example of others.  You are also the example that others follow.  People look to you, members of Christ Congregational Church, to see how it=s done.  The way you live your life says as much about your faith in God as the words you speak.

 

Now you may be squirming a bit in your pew right now.  Maybe you are wondering, AHow can I be an example for others?@  Women and men and children of God, you have all that you need to be role models for the way of Jesus.  God calls you to be servants.  No matter who you are, you have abilities that God can use.  No matter who you are, your life and the way you live it is a model for others C both inside and outside the church.  You see, it is not a question of whether or not you will be a role model.  You are a role model.  Someone is watching you.  The only question is what sort of role model will you be?  Albert Schweitzer said, AExample isn=t the main thing in influencing others C it is the only thing.@

 

What others are looking for from you is inspiration.  Every teacher or mentor who wants his or her students to excel inspires.  Every mother or father who seeks to instill good values and moral character in their children inspires.  Inspiration is the oxygen of the soul.  At some level we already understood this in this church for we put it in our Vision Statement: that we are a church that inspires.

 

What we were really saying by that is that we want to inspire others rather than motivate them.  For motivation is based on fear and is more about getting my needs met than really helping you.  Inspiration is not about me C it=s a gift to you that comes from my love for you and my desire to serve you in some way. 

 

During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier.  Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them.  Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, ASir, I am a corporal!@  The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers.  The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, ACorporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your command-in-chief, and I will come and help you again.@  With that George Washington remounted his horse and rode off.  That story is probably apocryphal, but it is inspiring, as were the actions and the life of General, and then, President Washington.

 

To help ease some of your discomfort at thinking of yourself as a role model, let me offer you some simple steps, a how-to guide if you will, for being a role model for God.

1. Pray without ceasing.  Pray as you get up in the morning and as you lay down at night.  Pray as you drive to work or walk to school.  Pray for those you love and those to whom you struggle to be civil.  Pray that the words of your mouth and the actions you take will reflect God.  These don=t have to be fancy, prosaic prayers.  Just simple reminders to yourself to rely on God for guidance and help in all you do.

2. Practice lovingkindness in all you do.  Begin by visualizing it daily.  Wake up each morning and stand in front of a mirror, seeing your body as the dwelling place for the Spirit of God.  As you go about your day, see everyone and everything as a dwelling place for that Spirit as well.  Serve others with kindness and be kind in speech.  Avoiding hurtful speech has as much to do with how you say something as it does with what you wish to say.  Two thousand years ago the Rabbis asked this question: It is customary to compliment a bride on how beautiful she looks at her wedding, but what if this particular bride doesn=t look beautiful at all?  Is it permissible to lie?  Is it better to avoid saying anything than to say something that isn=t true?  The Rabbis debated this as a means of exploring some of the subtleties of hurtful speech.  They concluded that lying isn=t acceptable, but neither is hurting a person with the truth.  And avoiding talking to the person sends a negative message all by itself.  So what is a person who seeks to practice lovingkindness through speech to do?  Find a way of complimenting the bride without violating the truth of her feelings.  For example, the Rabbis said, ASay to her, >You never looked more radiant= or >You never looked lovelier= or >You are positively glowing tonight.=@  You get the idea.  Find a way of being for others C not down on them C whenever possible.

3. Finally, say thanks.  Say thank you to God for the opportunity to serve.  Say thanks for those who serve as examples for you.