November 3, 2002

Is there someone you think of as a positive role model? What do you admire most about him or her? What makes a person a negative role model? This week's scriptures offer us both positive and negative role models and exhort us to imitate those who imitate Christ.

Sandra felt horrible. She wanted to take the promotion she had worked long and hard for, but she just found out she was pregnant. How could she possibly compete at the firm and be a good mother? Her husband, Ben, insisted that they share the parenting tasks, but that did not ease Sandra's inner turmoil. That evening Sandra and Ben visited her brother, Carl, and his wife, Julie, who was an engineer. After dinner Carl did the dishes while Julie nursed their three-month-old-baby. As Ben and Sandra watched, they began imagining possibilities for themselves.

What a difference it makes to find a positive role model in a complex world where official leaders - corporate, religious, political, and cultural - often lead us astray. Like Jesus' listeners, perhaps we are better off not following the example of hypocritical leaders. We would be better off modeling ourselves after Jesus. And, we might discover how it could be possible that those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Like Carl and Julie, each of us is responsible for being a positive role model. We might not realize who is watching and imitating us at home or at work. What kind of model are you? Do you lead others to serve as Jesus served?

SO THE QUESTION: WHO HAS LEARNED A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL FOR YOU? ASK A YOUNG PERSON WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED FROM YOU.

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