Topic : Example

Josiah Wedgwood, English maker of the famous Wedgwood pottery, was showing a nobleman through his factory one day. One of Wedgwood’s employees, a young boy, was accompanying them. The nobleman was profane and vulgar. At first, the boy was shocked by his irreverence; then he became fascinated by the man’s coarse jokes and laughed at them.

Wedgwood was deeply distressed. At the conclusion of the tour, he showed the nobleman a vase of unique design. The man was charmed by its exquisite shape and rare beauty. As he reached for it, Mr. Wedgwood purposely let it fall to the floor. The nobleman uttered an angry oath and said, “I wanted that vase for my collection, and you have ruined it by your carelessness!” Wedgwood answered, “Sir, there are other ruined things more precious than a vase which can never be restored. You can never give back to that young man, who just left us, the reverence for sacred things which his parents have tried to teach him for years. You have undone their labor in less than half an hour!”

Morning Glory, Sept.-Oct., 1997, p. 32

More recently, the Christian walk of Will Houghton, a preacher who became the president of Moody Bible Institute during the 1940s, played a large role in the conversion of an agnostic who was contemplating suicide. The skeptic was desperate, but he decided that if he could find a minister who lived his faith he would listen to him. So he hired a private detective to watch Houghton. When the investigator’s report came back, it revealed that this preacher’s life was above reproach; he was for real. The agnostic went to Houghton’s church, accepted Christ, and later sent his daughter to Moody Bible Institute.

- H.V.L.

Our Daily Bread, September 29

Just getting out of the driveway was a major feat during last year’s snow and ice storms. One co-worker was relating how he used his seven-year-old son’s baseball bat to smash the slick coat of ice on his driveway. He got cold and went inside for a cup of coffee before attempting to clear the car. Several minutes later, his son, who had been outside with him, came in.

“Dad,” he said, “I got the ice off the car.”

“How did you do that?” his father asked.

“Same way you did,” the boy shrugged, “with the baseball bat.”

Contributed by Janine Jaquet Biden

Reader’s Digest, January 1996, p. 12.

Mickey Mantle, an almost mythical baseball star who feared he had failed to fulfill career expectations because of alcohol abuse and whose recent years were haunted by self-recrimination, died of cancer early Sunday. He was 63. The former New York Yankees center fielder and a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame said at a July 28 news conference that he had squandered a gifted life and warned admirers he was no role model. “God gave me the ability to play baseball. God gave me everything,” he said. “For the kids out there, don’t be like me.”

Los Angeles Times, Monday, August 14, 1995

A teardrop crept into my eye as I knelt on bended knee;
Next to a gold haired tiny lad whose age was just past three.
He prayed with such simplicity “Please make me big and strong,
Just like Daddy, don’t you see? Watch o’er me all night long.”

“Jesus, make me tall and brave, like my Daddy next to me.”
This simple prayer he prayed tonight filled my heart with humility.
As I heard his voice so wee and small offer his prayer to God,
I thought these little footsteps someday my path may trod!

Oh, Lord, as I turn my eyes above and guidance ask from Thee;
Keep my walk ever so straight for the little feet that follow me.
Buoy me when I stumble, and lift me when I fail,
Guard this tiny bit of boy as he travels down life’s trail.

Make me what he thinks I am is my humble gracious plea
Help me ever be the man this small lad sees in me!

Source unknown

A careful man I ought to be,
A little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray
For fear he’ll go the selfsame way.

I cannot once escape his eyes,
What e’re he sees me do he tries.
Like me he says he’s going to be—
The little chap that follows me.

He thinks that I am good and fine,
Believes in every word of mine.
The base in me he must not see—
The little chap who follows me.

I must remember as I go,
Thru summer’s sun and winter’s snow
I’m building for the years to be—
That little chap who follows me.

Source unknown

For many years Monterey, a California coast town, was a pelican’s paradise. As the fishermen cleaned their fish, they flung the offal to the pelicans. The birds grew fat, lazy, and contented.

Eventually, however the offal was utilized, and there were no longer snacks for the pelicans. When the change came the pelicans made no effort to fish for themselves. They waited around and grew gaunt and thin. Many starved to death. They had forgotten how to fish for themselves. The problem was solved by importing new pelicans from the south, birds accustomed to foraging for themselves. They were placed among their starving cousins, and the newcomers immediately started catching fish. Before long, the hungry pelicans followed suit, and the famine was ended.

Bits and Pieces, June 23, 1994, p. 17

Bill Hybels related a story of integrity in Leadership Magazine.

One evening I stopped by the church just to encourage those who were there rehearsing for the spring musical. I didn’t intent to stay long, so I parked my car next to the entrance. After a few minutes, I ran back to my car and drove home.

The next morning I found a note in my office mailbox. It read: A small thing, but Tuesday night when you came to rehearsal, you parked in the “No Parking” area. A reaction from one of my crew (who did not recognize you after you got out of your car) was, “There’s another jerk in the ‘No Parking’ area!” We try hard not to allow people—even workers—to park anywhere other than the parking lots. I would appreciate your cooperation, too. It was signed by a member of our maintenance staff.

(This man’s) stock went up in my book because he had the courage to write to me about what could have been a slippage in my character.

And he was right on the mark. As I drove up that night, I had thought, I shouldn’t park here, but after all, I am the pastor. That translates: “I’m an exception to the rules.” But that employee wouldn’t allow me to sneak down the road labeled “I’m an exception.”

I’m not the exception to church rules or any of God’s rules. Exemplary conduct means encouraging others to imitate us, even in the small matters.

Leading the Way by Paul Borthwick, Navpress, 1989, Page 57-58

1. There needs to be frequent, long-term contact with the model(s)

2. There needs to be a warm, loving relationship with the model(s)

3. There needs to be exposure to the inner states of the model(s)

4. The model(s) need to be observed in a variety of life settings and situations

5. The model(s) need to exhibit consistency and clarity in behaviors, values, etc.

6. There needs to be a correspondence between the behavior of the model(s) and the beliefs (ideal standards) of the community

7. There needs to be explanation of life style of the model(s) conceptually, with instruction accompanying shared experiences

Larry Richards, A Theology of Christian Education , p. 84

I’m not much of a gardener. Once I took a seed catalog and started out the door.

“Where are you going with that?” my wife asked.

“I’m going to show it to my tomatoes,” I explained.

Source unknown

A man’s life is always more forcible than his speech. When men take stock of him they reckon his deeds as dollars and his words as pennies. If his life and doctrine disagree the mass of onlookers accept his practice and reject his preaching.

C.H. Spurgeon

A brief, simple, but expressive eulogy was pronounce by Martin Luther upon a pastor at Zwickau in 1522 named Nicholas Haussmann.

“What we preach, he lived,” said the great reformer.

I would not give much for your religion unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they do shine.

Source Unknown

Percentage of American teens who say they want to be like their parents: 39%

What Counts: The Complete Harper’s Index, edited by Charis Conn

‘Twas a sheep, not a lamb,
that strayed away in the parable Jesus told.
A grown-up sheep that had gone astray
from the ninety and nine in the fold.

Out on the hillside, out in the cold,
‘twas a sheep the Good Shepherd sought;
And back to the flock, safe into the fold,
‘twas a sheep the Good Shepherd brought.

And why for the sheep should we earnestly long
and as earnestly hope and pray?
Because there is danger, if they go wrong,
they will lead the lambs astray.

For the lambs will follow the sheep, you know,
wherever the sheep may stray;
When the sheep go wrong, it will not be long
till the lambs are as wrong as they.

And so with the sheep we earnestly plead,
for the sake of the lambs today;
If the sheep are lost, what terrible cost
some of the lambs will have to pay!

Source unknown

One Sunday morning in 1865, a black man entered a fashionable church in Richmond, Virginia. When Communion was served, he walked down the aisle and knelt at the altar. A rustle of resentment swept the congregation. How dare he! After all, believers in that church used the common cup.

Suddenly a distinguished layman stood up, stepped forward to the altar, and knelt beside the black man. With Robert E. Lee setting the example, the rest of the congregation soon followed his lead.

Moody Bible Institute’s Today in the Word, September, 1991, p. 15

During the Nazi occupation of his country in WWII, King Christian X of Denmark noticed a Nazi flag flying over a Danish public building. He immediately called the German commandant, demanding that the flag be taken down at once. The commandant refused.

“Then a soldier will go and take it down.” said the king.

“He will be shot,” threatened the commandant.

“I think not,” replied the king, “for I shall be the soldier.”

Within minutes the flag was taken down.

Today in the Word, MBI, August, 1991, p. 13

Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.

- Mark Twain

Source unknown

When I was a small boy, I attended church every Sunday at a big Gothic Presbyterian bastion in Chicago. The preaching was powerful and the music was great. But for me, the most awesome moment in the morning service was the offertory, when twelve solemn, frock-coated ushers marched in lock-step down the main aisle to receive the brass plates for collecting the offering. These men, so serious about their business of serving the Lord in this magnificent house of worship, were the business and professional leaders of Chicago.

One of the twelve ushers was a man named Frank Loesch. He was not a very imposing looking man, but in Chicago he was a living legend, for he was the man who had stood up to Al Capone. In the prohibition years, Capone’s rule was absolute. The local and state police and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation were afraid to oppose him. But singlehandedly, Frank Loesch, as a Christina layman and without any government support, organized the Chicago Crime Commission, a group of citizens who were determined to take Mr. Capone to court and put him away.

During the months that the Crime Commission met, Frank Loesch’s life was in constant danger. There were threats on the lives of his family and friends. But he never wavered. Ultimately he won the case against Capone and was the instrument for removing this blight from the city of Chicago.

Frank Loesch had risked his life to live out his faith. Each Sunday at this point of the service, my father, a Chicago businessman himself, never failed to poke me and silently point to Frank Loesch with pride. Sometime I’d catch a tear in my father’s eye. For my dad and for all of us this was and is what authentic living is all about.

Bruce Larson, in Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, pp. 124-5.

When Gen. George C. Marshall took command of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA, he found the post in a generally run-down condition. Rather than issue orders for specific improvements, he simply got out his own paintbrushes, lawn equipment, etc., and went to work on his personal quarters. The other officers and men, first on his block, then throughout the post, did the same thing, and Fort Benning was brightened up.

Source unknown

The outstanding Baptist preacher, Dr. George W. Truett, was helping a struggling congregation raise money for their church building. They still needed $6500. Truett found the response weak. With only $3000 pledged he said in exasperation, “Do you expect me to give the other $3500 needed to reach your goal? I’m just a guest here today.”

Suddenly, a woman near the back stood. Looking at her husband seated on the platform recording pledges, she said in a shaking voice, “Charlie, I wonder if you would be willing for us to give our little home? We were offered exactly $3500 cash for it yesterday. If the Saviour gave His life for us, shouldn’t we make this sacrifice for Him?”

Truett reported that the fine husband responded with equal generosity. “Yes, Jennie, I was thinking the same thing.”

Turning to Truett, he said, “Brother Truett, if it’s needed, we’ll raise our pledge by $3500.” Silence reigned for a few moments. Then some of the folks began to sob. Those who fifteen minutes earlier had refused to do more now either added their names to the list or increased their donations. In a short time, their goal had been achieved, and Charlie and Jennie didn’t have to forfeit their home. Their willingness to sacrifice had stimulated others to similar generosity.

Leslie B. Flynn, in Resource, July/August, 1990

To have unquestioned reliance upon a pastor or other spiritual leader can lead to embarrassment and even bitter disillusionment.

I was reminded of this recently when I came across an interesting item about President Coolidge. Once he invited some friends from Vermont to dine at the White House. They were worried about their table manners, so they decided to do everything their host did. All went well until coffee was served. Coolidge poured his into the saucer. The guests did the same. The President added sugar and cream. So did the visitors. Then Coolidge leaned over and placed his saucer on the floor for the cat.

1 Cor 15:33, Bad company corrupts good morals.

Source unknown

A study once disclosed that:

• If both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful.
• If only Dad, 55% remain faithful.
• If only Mom, 15%.
• If neither attended regularly, only 6% remain faithful.

The statistics speak for themselves—the example of parents and adults is more important than all the efforts of the church and Sunday School.

Warren Mueller in Homemade, May, 1990

• Children who see physical violence between their parents are six times more likely to abuse their own spouses after they marry.
• If those children were also hit by their parents as teenagers, they are 12 times more likely to abuse their spouses.

Bottom Line, in Homemade, November, 1985

Years ago the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light. They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel.

As the author was doing his research, he was increasingly impressed by Taylor’s saintly character and godly life, and he found it extremely difficult to carry out his assigned task with a clear conscience. Eventually, at the risk of losing his life, he laid aside his pen, renounced his atheism, and received Jesus as his personal Savior.

Whether we realize it or not, our example leaves an impression on others.

Source unknown