Many children look to their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and even their parents' friends as examples. They copy the language, demeanor, and attitudes of those whom they look up to the most. As a result, we must carefully consider the example we are modeling for the children in our lives. There is only one who is worth pointing them to, and that is Christ.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 11, the apostle Paul calls people to center their lives around Christ so that they point others straight to Him. Pointing others to Him begins with our words and actions. “My dear friends,” Paul writes, “flee from worthless idols” (verse 14). If we want to follow Christ and point others to Him, we cannot, Paul explains, worship God and worship the things that are not of Him at the same time. We have to live solely for Him. In light of this truth, he writes, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (verse 31). As he explains these things, he says, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). In other words, Paul claimed to live a life worth following because he modeled his own life after Christ.
“Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” Can you imagine the confidence that Paul had in the way he lived his life to echo those words? Paul deliberately and unapologetically centered His life around Christ. He did not stop there, however. He called others to center their lives around Christ and imitate Him as well.
As we think about these words spoken by Paul, two action steps come to mind: live a life centered on Christ worthy of being imitated and encourage others, especially the children in your life, to center their lives around Christ as well. If you are a parent, are you modeling your life around Christ, encouraging your children to do the same? Even if you are not a parent, you are just as called to pour into others as “spiritual children,” helping and teaching new followers of Christ to live lives that honor God. Let’s be people who live lives that reflect Christ and point others to Him.
As you consider your Bible reading from the Going Deeper section below, think of the example Christ set while He was living on Earth. Write down specific things He did or said to set an example for His followers. Then, commit to following Him and His example so that your children will follow suit. Ask God to help you as you seek to model Christ's example for everyone you encounter, especially the kids in your life.
1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you. 3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. 5 But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.
7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. 8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. 9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. 10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.
11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. 12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? 14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? 15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!
20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. 21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!
23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.
31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.
