1 Tim 4:12

These are some thoughts from last night's Lectio Divina at the ROCK youth group.

1 Timothy 4:12

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." 

... First thing that jumped out at me: "...For the believers..."

Why would we need to have the mindset to be an example for the believers? Shouldn't the believers already do well in these things? 

Just a thought: Often as believers we can become stagnant or plateau. We can easily begin to think that we're good enough, especially if we compare ourselves to the believer next to us... Maybe we doing "better" than them, or maybe we doing about the same. I think this exhortation to be an example is the positive way of saying don't compare or measure yourself to others. If you have the mindset of being an example your going to live according to Christ instead of according to your neighbor. Instead of meeting diluted expectations you are able to go beyond "good enough" (whatever that is) and show others what it truly means to be Christ in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.