I would like to start this article by asking you a question, How does the world view your Christian walk? Before you read on, I would like you to consider what's going on in your mind right now. Are you looking at your faults and areas of your life where you think that you don't measure up? Or else are you basing the value of your Christian walk by how virtuous you are? I find it interesting that most Christians judge their Christianity by whether they think they are good or bad. However, how does the world see you? Does the world really judge us by whether we are good or bad? I think it judges us by whether we have something of value that they are lacking in their life. In reality, the world is looking for what God has freely given us. Hope, joy, peace, and most of all, love.
You can see that by the icons that the world aspires to be like as it imitates their lifestyle. If you have sat in front of the TV for any length of time, you would see very clearly what the world is looking for. Unfortunately, they think that they are going to find it in weight loss, drugs & alcohol, relationships, sports, or in material things. I continually hear people say, "if I could only lose this much weight, I will be happy." Or "if I got this particular job, that would do it for me." Or "If I married her, then my life would be fulfilled." Yet, I see many people that are thin, that have good jobs, and that are married who are still miserable.
In reality, you cannot find happiness in things. So, my question to you is, What is the world really looking for in our Christian walk? Yes, you guessed it. They are looking to see if you're happy. Even so, they are looking for happiness that is real. They have been fooled by celebrities, motivational speakers, doctors, and yes, even Christian leaders that don't measure up. They are so desperate for happiness that they will try anything, and that's where many are led astray.
Let me ask you this question, If the world is being led by worldly icons, who are the role models of your life? Are they leading you in the life of hope, joy, peace and love? Do they have true happiness? Have they found what you're looking for? Or are you being deceived like the world and chasing after an illusion. If you look at whom you pattern your life after, you will see what you are truly seeking after, and if they are godly role models, you will receive the real treasure that Jesus has freely given to you.
My role model is an unassuming man whom I would very much like to pattern my life after. His name is Larry Walkemyer and he pastors a church, "Light and Life Christian Fellowship" in Long Beach. He's not my role model because he's a pastor of a church nor because he does good works. He is my role model or my mentor because of the love that I see that radiates from him. Because he is the same person at home, church, store or mission field as he is in the pulpit. You can see that pastor Larry is 100% in love with Jesus. I would very much like to have my life reflected the traits that are in his life. There are only a few people like pastor Larry that I have met in my life that I would consider pattering my life after. This is not to shine the spotlight on pastor Larry but rather get you to take notice of who your role models are.
My dad shared a story with me about when he was growing up in the church. God spoke something to his heart at an early age when he first got saved. God told him that he loved them exactly as he was, but God loved him too much to leave him that way. He needed to hear that because many Christians and nonbelievers were judging him because he did not measure up to their idea of a Christian. He was living a life of condemnation because he did not feel that he was measuring up to the expectations of other Christians and the world.
God shared with him when he got saved, that he was like a baby, and that he was growing. This gave him liberty. After all, you would not compare a three-year-old with a teenager or a high school student with a college graduate. Yes, he understood that he was in the state of growth, and he accepted that he had some flaws and limitations. Nevertheless, he had hope in the second part of the quote that God gave him, "but I love you too much to leave you that way." This is important if you expect to live a life where you're going to find happiness. Remember, a life of judgment and condemnation is void of happiness.
The main purpose of this article is to help lay a solid foundation for you to grow a healthy Christian relationship with your family, friends and coworkers. To create a lifestyle that the world desires to have.
I had friends that I thought were persecuting me come and tell me years later that they did not believe what I had was real and would do things to test me to see if this Jesus stuff was real. They knew who I was but they could not believe the new life that I was living was real.
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