In our days of influencers, popularity, thriving businesses, many ‘like’ counts, followers, fans, personal branding and the many untrue version of selves people portray, we must remain shrewd about those we admire, adore or choose our lives to be like.
The best place to search for any role model asides from people who you know directly and have sufficient knowledge of their lives outside of the pallooza of cover ups we see outside (e.g. parents or spouses) is from the dead!
What is it? Ministry, business, finance, politics, healthy living… a dead person has done it successfully! Choose them. Follow their pattern.
Why?
We can verify and choose from those who finished strong rather than fall prey to those who are deceived by even their own selves that they qualify to be any kind of role model due to popularity.
‘Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice….’
Philippians 4:9
Do you see what they do or what THEY let you see?
The tragic case of #RaviZacharias is one we can learn from. This was a man who by the look of all things from the outside was a man of God, knowledgeable in Scripture, flying around the world defending the Gospel, had a stable family but was bound by the chains of immorality and was abusing women in private.
He covered up himself while on earth very well but he is gone to the grave and his can of worms is burst open! Many of those who built their lives on him are now dispersing like lost sheep and biting fingernails.
Do not be deceived by this mad house called #SocialMedia. Nothing is new under the sun. The person who you are admiring has someone who is dead that did it far better than them. Choose your influencers from those who have finished strong and the veracity of their lives can be proven whilst they lie in their grave.
There are biographies of these people to read from if you must follow anyone outside who is not Jesus, maybe because you want someone who is ‘human’.
Who is this writer’s role model/ influencer?
‘Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.’
1 Corinthians 11:1
The Apostle Paul! A dead man whose ways I will continue to follow because he followed the ultimate Role Model and Influencer, the Man, Christ Jesus!
#TeamPaul #TeamJesus #Pauline.
Choose wisely.
“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”
Hebrews 13:7