The Impact of Example

How important is an example? In most things we do, we do them because we’re following the example of someone else. Someone else taught us how to do that thing. Sometimes, we follow their example and they don’t even know it. Examples are important and they have an impact in our way of live just as much as our example impacts someone else way of life.

Being a good example to those around us, especially as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, can influence how someone feels about us and ultimately what we say we believe. By our example, we can bring people closer to Christ. Through our example, they will not see us but they will see our Savoir. In 1 Corinthians 4:16, Paul says to the people of Corinth to “be ye followers of me.” We are taught in our study manual that Paul did not say this because he wanted them to be just like himself. He was an apostle, a representative of Christ. He was asking them to follow his example of trying to be like Christ. By following the prophet and apostles, not only through their words but also by the way they live, we will be following Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 4:2, the servants are required to be faithful. As I pondered on what it meant to be faithful, I glanced at the footnote below and it directed me to the Topical Guide to trustworthiness. As I looked over the verses included there with their summaries, this is what I found:

• We must keep the way of the Lord. Christ showed us the way and it’s up to us to learn it and live it.
• Commit all we have and all that we are to the building up of the kingdom of God.
• Be diligent in our responsibilities; home, community, and church.
• Obey and observe what we are taught from the scriptures and for our living prophet and apostles.

We are taught the gospel, we read the gospel, and we listen to gospel direction from a living prophet of God. But it is not enough to know the gospel. In Alma 39:12, is says, “Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many people to destruction.” Our example, good or bad, can have in impact on the lives of many other people. People will watch what we do and they will do what we do whether we want them to or not. By living righteously, we can show people the way to be happy. If we live in sin, we will be showing them how to be miserable and we will be held responsible for our example.

In conclusion, I know that our actions do speak louder than our words. If we say we follow Christ, then our actions need to be accordingly. As we do good and are good examples to other, we will be seen as trustworthy, faithful people. In 3 Nephi 8, the Nephites are reading their records and watching for the signs of Christ death and resurrection. They know the time is coming for great things to happen. In 3 Nephi 8:1 it says that they know the record in which they are reading are true because of the man who wrote them was a just and true man. It goes on to say that they knew this not by the words in which he spoke to them but by his actions, by the miracles he performed, because they knew that he had the power of God with him. They also knew that no man could have the power of God unless he was a good man. The same goes for us, we are good in all that we say and do, we too can draw on the power of God. We can be the example to those around us of happiness and peace in a world of chaos and trials. We can help others know Christ just by the way we are.