BY PASTOR DAVID ODOM

Exemplifying the name of Christ is a part of what the “Great Commission” tells us to do in Matthew 28. Jesus tells us to “go and teach,” and sometimes teaching means being an example of the life that Christ lived. Though we will never be perfect, we should always strive to be more like Christ in our day to day life. The very definition of exemplify is to be an example of, or to illustrate by being an example. In Matthew 5 the Bible tells us to be the “salt and the light” of the earth and to let your light so shine before men. At first glance, this doesn’t sound like too great of a task, but salt back in this time was very important to every household. Salt was used to preserve foods as well as to season the food. We are to season the lives of all the people that God puts in our path. Seasoning brings a better flavor to the food. We are to season other people’s lives with the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that every person we come in contact with, we leave them better than we found them. The Bible tells us that a salt that has lost its seasoning is only useful to be trod under your feet. Then, we move on to being the “light of the world.” When a little light is shined in a dark world then that light begins to shine on everything that is around it. Everything in the path of that light will begin to show that the darkness will give way to the light. Just a small little light in a dark room will shine enough for you to find your way. It doesn’t take much to look around and see we live in some dark times in this world. Be a light!
When I think about the example that Christ was, for us to live our life, we are to be that example to everyone that we can. This makes me think of when I was growing up and my papaw had his wood working shop out behind our house. My Papaw had a pattern for all of the wooden things that he would make. My Papaw didn’t have to remake or redraw the pattern each time, he just used the pattern that was in front him. Someone had already been taking that time and strength to carve out and create that pattern for future people wanting to build that piece. However, Papaw just thought he was passing on the wooden patterns from the shop, but Papaw left a pattern of a Christian life to live to my father and My Father was leaving behind a pattern for me to follow and how to treat my family and others around me. These are the same patterns that I use for being an associate pastor, Sunday school teacher, dad, son, husband and for raising my family still today. Those patterns are “priceless.” Each and every day of our life we are being a pattern for someone else in our circle of people. There are only “good” and “bad” patterns. Many people are watching your life to see how you handle things in our life. They watch our speech, conduct, love, faith, etc…
I also thought about the phrase that became our Christian motto for years. We all repeated the” WWJD.” “What would Jesus do”? This a great phrase to live by, it sounds so simple but yet it’s so profound. What would Jesus do?? If we follow this simple pattern in our lives, what a mighty impact we could make on our community. God already knows what is best for us. You would think that we would consult him before making decisions.
Then of course, there are some bad examples as well. I thought about a counterfeit dollar bill. It is an example of what a dollar bill is supposed to be, but it’s not like the original. It’s a cheap and illegal “knockoff” of what it’s supposed to be like. When training your employees to check bills for counterfeits, the manual tells you to hold the money up to the light. This is much like our example in our Christian walk. If we want, check and see if we are being real or just a counterfeit of something that looks real. We should hold our spiritual life up to the light. That Light is Jesus and the example that he left behind. We have to hold our life up to Light to see if we are a good example. If we do not exemplify Christ we will never make a difference in the lives of those around us.
Rodney Starks’ book “The Rise of Christianity” talks about when Christianity was new that it was attractive to outsiders that were looking in. It showed how Christians cared for the sick and cared enough to help the poor. Now it seems that everyone is just looking out for #1. We have to get back to being an example of Christ, which is caring for all people of, all kinds, and from all backgrounds.
E- Exemplify Christ in all you say and do
X- X out sin and impurities from your life so people see Christ
A – affect others with the love of Christ
M- model Christ-like character and conduct
P- position yourself under Christ so is the Head
L- line up with Christ in not only what you do but how you do it
E- enhance people’s lives because of Christ in you
Be an example that someone around you needs at work, home, family and church.
1 John 2:6 reads: He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Walk as Jesus walked. It’s the only pattern that we need. God Bless!
(The Solution Column is provided by Pastor Brandon Young of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church, Hampton, and his associate, David Odom.)