Good and Bad Examples for Our Children

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them. What you teach your own children is what you really believe in. Nothing is so infectious as example. Visualize this:

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest” (Prov. 6:6-8).

The Corinthian brethren were warned not to be like the Israelites who served as bad examples in 1 Corinthians 10:11: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Paul commended the Thessalonians for being good examples in 1 Thessalonians 1:7: “So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.”

And in 1 Peter 5:3, elders are told to be examples to the church: “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”

After all the good examples we read about in Hebrews 11:1-40, the Hebrew writer says,

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (Heb. 12:1-3, KJV).

— Beth Johnson