Modeling Christ

DEVOTION
1 THESSALONIANS
MODELING CHRIST
1 Thess 1:5-7
You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia
NIV
Do I live among my fellow believers for their sake, and do they live among me for my sake? That is an interesting question. What reason do I live among other people? Maybe it is not just the body of Christ I mingle with on Sundays and with a few of them on other days, but maybe it is also among my neighbors who are not believers. Maybe I should consider if I am living among them for their sake. The only sake would be so they could be exposed to the Gospel I would imagine. Have any of the people I lived among ever welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit? There have been some and so I guess my living among some people has been fruitful. A few of them have even became models to all believers. I praise God for them too! But what about all my fellow believers who already have been exposed to the Gospel? For what sake do I live among them? Am I serving the purpose God intents for me to among the local body I am associated or in fellowship with? Do I live in such a manner as to imitate God? Am I the salt, the light, and the mirror reflecting Christ those I live among? I believe I try as I am able to. I sure fail as well. How can I be both? How can I desire to be the man God has plans for me to be and still fall short? I cannot excuse myself because I am human, but I know that is the fact. Were those people spoken of here that perfect? Or maybe just closer to perfection than me, because I am not sure I am a model to other believers. I know that is what God desires of me. I need to reflect Christ to everyone I come in contact with. I need to be that model. I need to model Christ.