The Influence of an Example

Philippians 1:12-14

Just at daylight, I awoke and glanced out the window to see what the weather looked like. One of my neighbor’s cows, a large yellowish crossbred cow had her head stuck through my fence and was lunging and jerking in an effort to get her body through. Staples and ties loosened, and she was able to force her body through, although she got hung up several times. Before I could get dressed, another cow approached the same spot and forced her way through as well. By the time I arrived to stop them eight cows had forced their way through, and the fence was pushed down to where the last one through didn’t have to try nearly so hard to get through.

Crawling through the hole, I chased the rest of my neighbors cows away, then enlarged the hole and drove the cows back through it into his pasture. By the time I had them back where they belonged, and my fence fixed, I was late for work.

A few days later, I saw the same cow do the same thing, and others follow her again. Fortunately, that day it was not through my fence, but through one of the owner’s fences into another of his pastures. I suggested that he would be wise to get rid of that cow because she was teaching the others to tear down fences and get out. I hope he listens.

Most of the other cows would not have made such a struggle to get out. However, once they had seen that they could do so, they would try the same thing. Paul recognized that people are very much the same way. They will avoid many things, until they see an example. Once they see an example, they are encouraged to try for themselves. This can be either good or bad depending on what they are encouraged to attempt.

The things Paul had gone through would have been expected to discourage others. II Corinthians 11:24-27 Describes a few of the things. “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”

Rather than discouraging others, the problems encouraged them by seeing Paul’s survival. They were willing to take the similar chances, because they had seen God deliver him in these problems. It also called attention to the difference between what he had and that others had.

“But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear;” (Philippians 1:12-14)

When we are going through such struggles, it is easy to develop the same attitude Elijah had when Jezebel threatened his life and he fled to the mountain, hiding in a cave.

“And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (I Kings 19:13-14)

Despite his feeling that he was the only one, God informed him that there were seven thousand more, and that God still had a job for him to do. It is so easy to forget that fact, and that God controls what happens to us, and how bad it will be. As I Corinthians 10:13 tells us, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

We’re not the only ones to have the problem, it is common. While not every Christian suffers exactly the same things, all Christians will experience problems. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” (II Timothy 3:12). Problems are normal. It is the absence of problems that is not normal.

Fortunately, we have some promises about the trials and temptations. We don’t need to worry or be upset. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We can be assured that the end result will be good, although the event itself may not be. Romans 8:28 Reminds us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Some of the things may be to benefit others, while others may benefit us, as James 1: 2-4 points out. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”