Models

As part of my scholarship program at the seminary, I was by and large at the disposal of the admissions office. My least favorite part of that gig was allowing them to follow my friends and I around to take pictures for brochures and such. My church history professor wasn't a big fan of it, either, as he didn't particularly enjoy having one of his lectures turn into a photo shoot. I remember seeing about two of those pictures in actual use for promotional materials for the school. Thus was the beginning and end of my modeling career.

Most of you are more photogenic than I am, so you'd make better models -- yet each and every one of us is called to the modeling profession. We're not displaying the latest fashions (or school activities), though. We are to model the Christian life for those around us. Paul wrote to Timothy, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). He also commands much the same from people of all walks of life (Titus 2). Our orders are clear: be a model Christian for others to follow.

We won't be perfect, but we should be as close to it as we can be. We will still sin and fall short, but it shouldn't be a force of habit. Every day we should seek to grow closer to God, to be a little more like Christ. As the saying goes, we could be the only Bible some people ever read; we could be the only Christian in their lives. It is crucial, therefore, we reflect Jesus, we model our Savior as closely as we can. We may never land a career with a modeling agency, but our rewards will be out of this world.