7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other  eeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

There is no question that the most effective teaching is done is by example. More is caught than taught. How often we learn when we watch others put lessons into practice.  

The same is true in faith. It wasn’t until Jesus came that the world saw righteousness in action. It came from a heart toward His Father, God. It came from His love toward His disciples. It came from Jesus relating to the lost and hurting. It came from our Lord living in a corrupt political environment, but mostly they saw faith at work when it came to His suffering on the cross.

We can teach all we want, but what we do is more closely watched.  

In a “View from the Zoo”, Gary Richmond talks about the birth of a giraffe: He talks about the first thing to emerge are the baby giraffe's front hoofs and head. A few minutes later the plucky newborn calf is hurled forth, falls 10 feet, and lands on its back.  Within seconds, he rolls to an upright position with his legs tucked under his body. From this position he considers the world for the first time and shakes off the last vestiges of the birthing fluid from his eyes and ears, while kneeling on the ground.   

The mother giraffe lowers her head long enough to take a quick look. Then she positions  herself directly over her calf. She waits for about a minute, and then she does the most unreasonable thing. She swings her long, leg outward and kicks her baby, so that it is sent sprawling head over heels.   

When it doesn't get up, the violent process is repeated over and over again. The struggle to rise is momentous.  As the baby calf grows tired, the mother kicks it again to stimulate its efforts. Finally, the calf stands for the first time on its wobbly legs. Then the mother does the most remarkable thing. She kicks it off its feet again. Why? She wants it to remember how it got up. In the wild, the baby giraffes must be able to get up as quickly as possible in order to stay with the herd, where there is safety. Lions, hyenas, leopards, and wild hunting dogs all enjoy young giraffes and they'd get it too, if the mother didn't teach her calf to get up quickly.  

It seems that when Christians rise up, they get knocked down again. Sometimes out of persecution, but lots of experiences challenge the faith of the believer in Jesus. Complete dependency on the Lord is a lifelong lesson. We are placed in positions where we have nothing more than faith in God. I need to watch those who are more mature in the faith to see how they live not just when times are good, but when the resources of man no longer work and all they have is their faith that sustains them.     

God helps us to get up when we have been knocked down. We need to be continually dependent upon Him for all things.  

In Peter’s first letter to a persecuted people, he pointed them towards the Lord's glorious coming for their rewards and His godly revenge on those who are ungodly, but until that time comes, we are to demonstrate faith to the babes in Christ. We will be looking at some important ways to be an example to the believers in our faith walk.           

Application:   Think who might be watching you today. Are you helping them by what they see in you?

Prayer:   Lord, let me always magnify You and Your name as I walk this journey of faith.