Example To Follow For Christian Living

Paul told the first century church to emulate him as he emulated Christ; it was a his way of giving those first Christians an example on this earth of how to live a good Christian life. Two thousand years later, like the first century church, we often look for someone to emulate in our Christian walk and are sometimes discouraged when we see human frailty in our earthly guide. We tend to forget that even though they're a Christian, they're still human and therefore can still make mistakes and stumble, just like we do. Sometimes we ourselves can stumble because we see the humanity of those we have chosen to emulate.

The interesting thing is, God gave us another example that if we emulate, we will pretty much walk down the straight and narrow path without faltering and we'll miss the mark many fewer times than if we don't practice this emulation. I'll use the one I look to for guidance in order to describe the whole.

He loves without condition. Even if mistreated his love is unmarred and everlasting. He is meek to the point if I were to mistreat him in various ways, he would be without complaint and even coming to me and seeking to win back my good graces, almost immediately. He shows no difference toward others, treating the beggar the same way he treats the richest man on earth. He gives without expecting anything in return except love. When I'm sick, he sits by my side comforting me and just being with me. When I'm sad, he reassures me that he's still with me. When I'm happy he couldn't be happier. He always seeks good for me and tries to prevent anything bad from coming my way. I'm not speaking of anyone or anything supernatural, here, although I do believe the angels are always around us helping us and even guiding us at times, but the one I try my best to emulate isn't a spiritual body looming over me like a guardian angel. He is flesh and blood. He's my dog.

I know many people would find it strange, but just stop and think about it for a moment; every single thing I noted as an example above is true for almost all dogs, and is truly what we are taught in the Bible is the way we're supposed to walk through this world. Just another example of how God truly knew what we needed, so He created dog as man's best friend. Dogs are just another example of God's goodness and mercy and they behave the way Christ did and the way we're told to.