Become an Example

Paul gave a lot of advice to the Corinthians. One piece of advice that he gave them is to be an example. In 1 Cor. 4:9 Paul specifically addresses the fact that the apostles are to be examples. However, if only the apostles are examples then we will get no where. In Alma 39:11 Alma tells Corianton, "for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words." When we stand for something we need to stand for it. My high school band director once told us a story of his high school band. They went on a trip to a competition. While on the bus some of the band members decided to use some drugs. They ended up getting busted and a report of the event went in the newspaper. From that day forward when people heard about the band program all they could think of was druggies. The example of just a couple of the members tainted the entire program. This same thing can happen in the church. If we aren't careful then we might pass on a bad reputation for the church. It won't matter what we say because all the community can remember is what we did. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "What you are shouts so loudly in my ears that I cannot hear what you say." We must be careful of who we are because it often times means more than what we say.

I believe this is why in 1 Corinthians 4:2 Paul advises that the saints be "faithful". It is also why verse 16 states, "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." We must become an example of our Savior Jesus Christ. We may not ever become exactly like him while on this earth, but we can do our best to represent him. If we don't represent him, but say that we do then we are hypocrites. We also leave others with an incorrect view of the Savior. If we know what's right as Alma's son Corianton did, and don't do it then it might as well be that we don't know it.

In 3 Nephi 8:1 we learn that Nephi kept the record of the people at the time. They people knew that the record was correct because they knew who Nephi was and that he would not lie. He had become an example. We also learn in this verse that if we are examples and are living worthily then we may help in many miracles. We can become like the Savior himself and provide for those who need our help.

After all of this though I believe that the biggest influence of why I should become an example comes from my childhood. I grew up in a group of friends who were all different religions. We represented LDS, Catholics, Lutherans, and Baptists. I learned a lot from my friends. We all had slightly different standards, but we all respected each others standards. We represented who we had been raised to be the best we could. Sometimes I feel as if they did a better job than I did. As a result, none of us look down on each other or the different religions we represent. I can to this day say that I have never thought poorly of another religion and I'm pretty certain that my friends can say the same. We have all gone our separate ways and made our own choices, but we all learned to respect each other because of the examples we set for each other. This is why an example is important. For the sake of the whole.