Setting a Good Example
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Psalm 37:25
Although this Psalm was written by King David around 3,000 years ago, I can identify with his statement. It always amazes me how relevant scripture is to our modern day. When I studied the book of Jeremiah, it seemed to me that I was reading the daily newspaper or watching the news on television. David’s son, King Solomon, wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 that whatever happens has already happened before, and that there is nothing new under the sun. How right he was.
Like David, I was young at one time. Now I am over 70 years of age, and in some ways, it seems like hardly any time at all has passed, but at other times, the past seems eons away. Actually, that is hyperbole because eons are thousands and thousands of years, and I certainly don’t feel quite that old! The t-shirt that I saw advertised online is so true: “I thought getting old would take longer”. I have often said that getting old is not for wimps. I don’t really feel “old”, but I don’t have the energy and stamina that I had when I was younger. Even though I work out every day, eat healthy foods, try not to get too stressed out, take my vitamins, and stay busy doing constructive things, something, somewhere hurts every day. Arthritis has set in a few joints, but my exercise seems to help. Most of us who have become “senior” citizens don’t take aging without putting up a good fight. However, at the end of the day, we appreciate every day that God gives us to praise Him for His love and mercy and thank Him for what health and strength we have left.
Also, like King David, I have never had a need that wasn’t fulfilled. Now there have been plenty of wants that I never received, and, for the most part, I am glad that I didn’t receive them. There were likely unforeseen consequences that could have resulted if I had my way. God always knows what’s best for us. After all, He created us, thus, wouldn’t He know the best route for us to take concerning the road of life? I think back about my parents when they were first married in 1940. They had many hardships as did most regular folks growing up during the Great Depression, into WWII, and so on. I have pictures of them as young adults, and they were very slim. Back then, there were no fast-food restaurants, and people ate what they grew in their gardens, eating chickens, fish, and all the stuff that we are told we should eat to be healthy. They were eating all the right things because that’s all they had, but they were thankful that God provided them with a roof over their heads, clothes on their back, and food on the table. It was their dependence upon God that carried them through life, and it was their example of godly living that influenced me to follow Christ and be a godly influence upon my children and all with whom I come in contact.
God’s care and provisions not only help the righteous; the children of the righteous are also beneficiaries of God’s goodness and mercy. People claim that what they do doesn’t affect other people, but we know that is not true. We are well aware that sin filters down and affects the lives of others, but the opposite is also true. When we determine to set our course to live circumspectly and honestly before the Lord, our children are the recipients of our godly influence. Whether they choose to follow our godly example or go their own way, they will still be blessed by God (I Corinthians 7:14). However, to receive all that God has for them, they must choose to follow Him. If we have set a godly example before them, and they see our consistent commitment to Him, they will see that serving the Lord provides the most contentment and joy in life. They may choose to follow Him, or they may not. The choice is theirs, but we must stay committed and pray for them daily. God does hear our prayers.
Whatever road that my family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and all those with whom I come in contact choose to take, I desire that I remain a woman who loves Jesus and, by my example, have given them a reason to choose the right path.