Always giving good example

WE need to realize that it is a duty of ours, as

Christians, to always give good example to others. Not that we have to

flaunt whatever good thing we have or do, for Christ clearly said also

that we should not show off our good deed before men, to be seen by

them, lest we lose our reward in heaven. (cfr. Mt 6,1)

            We have to be aware that we always have to give good

example to others for the sole purpose of leading others to God. It is

to edify others, to encourage them to be holy and to pursue the path

of sanctity in an abiding way.

            This duty, therefore, should be carried out deliberately.

It should somehow be planned and aimed at. It should not just be

something incidental or something optional. Of course, this duty

should not be done out of pride or vanity, but out of obedience to the

will of God who wants to save all men. (cfr. 1 Tim 2,4)

            Thus, Christ warns us never to scandalize others,

especially the “little ones,” who can be interpreted not only as

children but also as any person whose spiritual life is not yet that

well established and strong, and therefore can easily be misled.

            “It is inevitable that temptations will come,” Christ

said, “but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better

for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into

the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” (Lk

17,1-2)

            To avoid scandalizing others or causing them to sin, we

should focus more on giving good example. That way, we would be most

sensitive to our duty not to scandalize others. We would be aware that

we are following Christ’s command and will, and not just pursuing our

own agenda in life.

            Let us hope that we can echo sincerely in our heart what

St. Paul once said: “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor

11,1) This should be the motive and the attitude we have in desiring

to give good example to others. It is to imitate Christ, to have his

mind, to identify ourselves with his will and ways.

            Everyday, we have to come out with a concrete detail to

fulfill this duty of giving good example to others. It may just be as

little as smiling, or reacting calmly when some disappointment comes

our way, or saying something nice about somebody whose faults and

mistakes are obvious, or showing compassion to those in difficulty and

offering mercy to those who may have done wrong, etc.

            Part of our sense of accountability at the end of the day

should be to present to God in our examination of conscience the

concrete things we have done to give good example to others.

            This will surely help us in keeping ourselves in the loop

of God’s providence, and away from the erratic dynamics of our wounded

flesh, the sinful world and the wiles of the devil. This will sustain

our apostolic concern which is an integral part of Christian life.

            This duty of giving good example to others should be

systematically taught and spread to people as early as when they are

still children. Hopefully in time we can have a culture that

organically includes this duty that is carried out with the proper

motives.

            At the moment, we all know that what we have are cases of

self-indulgence, pride, vanity and narcissism, as when people show off

their good looks, their accomplishments, the places they have visited,

the food they are eating, etc.

            Let’s hope that this trend is reversed because it is truly

corrupting. It is like a sweet poison.