Wisdom from Role Model

This blog is designed to give people an inner look at a devotional life. Taking time each day to spend time with the Lord. The hope is if you travel on this journey with Rev. Jacob Shaw, you may be more inclined to spend time with the Lord as well. I encourage the use of a devotional, a scripture reading and prayer, then finally a song, hymn or selection of poetry to tie it all together. 

Today's devotional is taken from: Vujicic, Nick. Limitless Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press, 2013. pp 141-143.

Opening Thought: In this chapter Nick speaks of his time meeting one of his role models, Billy Graham. It would be a very interesting and exciting to meet a role model no matter if you are in ministry or any field. Nick’s experience seemed very positive, partly because even in poor health, Billy Graham was able to share some inspiring world of wisdom from his own experiences. In many ways that is all we can do when we get towards the end of our lives, make sure we prepare the next generation for what is to come. Often wisdom is gained through experience, but the wisest people seek wisdom from those who came first.

The devotional begins with: Philippians 3:12-16 [MSG]

 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.

Second Thought:

One challenge with having role models in ministry is sometimes we want to run towards the role model rather than toward Christ, who the role model is trying to point us towards, hopefully. Recently one of my ministry role-models, the late Ravi Zacharias, had his legacy stained by the reports of a sex scandal. This scandal was something that his own ministry team affirmed as true, and this hurt a lot of people who had been following his work for years. I had only been following Zacharias’ work for a short time, but his clear and gentle approach to his anecdotal apologetics was always wonderful to reflect upon. I had also recently purchased one of his book for this blog and as I began to read it, so when I began seeing reports of these allegation and then confirmation about his scandal, I must say I was disappointed to have a role model, even a new one, shadowed like that. Then I remembered a part of Zacharias’ work was telling people how they needed Jesus in their lives to lift them out of the trouble they brought upon themselves. Zacharias was pointing people to Jesus, not to himself. He was not the model to seek, Christ is. Now that doesn’t excuse the trespasses Ravi did in his life, but it does hold true to the reason we seek Christ in the first place. We seek Christ to save ourselves when we fall short.     

Continual Work: Role models can really help us paint a picture of where we want to go, but aim to find role models that paint the picture of you with Christ in your heart, with Christ as your primary target and model, you will always be able to find an appreciation for other role model, even if they fall short like the rest of us.

What Rev. Jacob is Working On: I really debated whether or not to use Zacharias’ book for this blog, with the scandal I felt it may have been in poor taste. However, one thing that God teaches is mercy and forgiveness, because when we forgive, we get to hold on to the goodness and work pass the suffering and darkness. So, in that spirit, I will use Zacharias’ book The Logic of God: 52 Essentials for the Heart and Mind as our next devotional guide. I will let forgiveness guide me and let the work of his mind benefit the conversation. With that said, we cannot forget what happened, and sometimes when we do have role models falls, it can teach us why and what we need to mindful and steadfast to avoid. It also reminds up to be considerate to those who suffer. I do pray for anyone who was harmed by Zacharias, I do not know too much about the case, but I do hold a heavy heart for anyone who has ever been the victim of any sexual misconduct, harassment or assault, particularly from someone in ministry who ought to exemplify Christ and the gospel.  

Scripture time: Romans 7:21-25 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

If you look at the way Paul the Apostle speak about his struggle you know that sin is no light matter. Paul is a man who saw the light of God, heard God's voice, and converted to the faith in the most dramatic of scenes, yet, he still finds in his heart a confliction. Anyone in the faith should see Paul as some sort of role model, for he voices the truth of being in the faith, that being a believer and giving your life to Christ means you will struggle. Sometimes you will struggle to do the right thing, as much as you want to follow God’s will, other aspects of you will not, and you have to keep doing everything you can not to give in. Pray, seek support, and be honest. If you do make a mistake, don’t fret and don’t hide it, apologize, make amends and move to restoration. It is in our fear that we fall worse to sin, so, own up to it, take responsibility, do the right thing, work and restore. When you do all you can do and try to be humble and courageous enough to take responsibility then you may just end up being a role model for someone too.   

Closing Words: I hope you enjoyed and were lifted by this devotional time; it is truly important to take time for God each day. By doing so, you welcome God into your life, and in turn you will be able to better see the world through the eyes of God, rather than God through the world's eyes.

Artistic Close: