1 Timothy is a letter from the older and more experienced apostle Paul to his “true child in the faith.” Timothy was sensitive and somewhat shy and needed encouragement for his life of faith. We can all learn a lot from Paul’s helpful advice to Timothy. Let’s reflect on one verse for a moment:  

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim 4:12) 

When Timothy received this letter, he was probably about 35 years of age. It is interesting that Paul still speaks of his youth here. He admonishes Timothy, who, as a young man, had already assumed responsibility among the Christians to behave so that no one would take advantage of his young age to put him down.  

A spiritual leader must not only be able to show others the right way, but above all, he must be a good example! If you now say: “I don’t see myself as a spiritual leader,” it is still true that we should be role models. We should be aware that everything we do impacts those around us, both positive and negative! Of course, we will never be a perfect example; only the Lord Jesus was. We want to imitate and follow Him. But we, like Timothy, should also be an excellent example of a faithful disciple. 

The apostle Paul lists five areas in which Timothy was to be an example. They also apply to us:  

Example in Word

Our speech is mentioned first. In the book of James, we read about the tongue, with which we can quickly cause great harm. Chapter 3 says that the tongue is “full of deadly poison” (Js 3:8). Yes, unfortunately, it is true that we have often done a lot of damage with our tongue or with our words. The Lord wants us to speak the truth (Eph 4:25). He hates lies (Prov. 6:16-19) and does not want us to say “corrupt” (or foul, ugly) words (Eph 4:29).

Our words should be “always with grace and seasoned with salt” (Col 4:6). In Proverbs 25:11, we read about the beneficial effect of words when the right thing is said at the right time. And a little later, we are told that a gentle tongue breaks bones (v. 15). We should never forget that words always have an effect, for good or bad. Let us pray like David: “Let the words of my mouth… be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord!” (Ps 19:14). 

Leading by Example in Times of Change

Not only our words but also our behavior is essential. Perhaps even more than our words, we “speak” through actions. Every day, we are challenged to live in a way that pleases the Lord. It is destructive to our testimony if our lives do not match our words! We read of the Lord that He was what He said He was (John 8:25). He always did what He taught. Accordingly, we read in Acts 1:1 that He “began to do and to teach” – first deeds, then words. This order is also a good principle for each of us!  

We should also be aware that those around us are always watching us. We should be wise and redeem the time (Eph 5:15-16), be lights in this world, and present the word of life (Phil 2:15-16). This means practicing what the Lord Jesus has shown us here and what we read in His Word. Someone once said: “Remember, you may be the only Bible anyone reads today!”

Example in Love

The Lord Jesus told His disciples just before He died that they should love one another as He had loved them (Jn 15:12). This statement still applies to us today. Loving with this unconditional, unchanging love is sometimes challenging for us. But the Lord wants to help us so that our love is not hypocritical but comes from a pure heart (1 Pet 1:22).  

In particular, 1 Corinthians 13 presents this divine love: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. ” (1 Cor 13:4-9). Let us ask the Lord to make us more like His perfect example.

Example in Faith

Faith believes the unbelievable, does the impossible, and sees the invisible! Especially in difficult times, it is essential to keep looking at God’s love, faithfulness, and goodness. This “distracts” us from our circumstances, and we trust in the One who has bought us at such a cost, for it is God’s purpose that Christ should dwell in our hearts through faith (Eph 3:17). 

Sometimes, the Lord tests our faith “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 1:7). It is especially encouraging for believers who find themselves in difficult circumstances to have fellow believers to help them look to the Lord in such times. At the same time, it is encouraging to see those who are “rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith” in challenging times (cf. Col 2:7).

Example in Purity

This world is full of sin, and it is so easy to become defiled: an evil thought, an image of violence or immorality that catches our eye, nasty words that we hear… Every evil thing that enters our eyes and ears and that we consciously tolerate, defiles us. That is why we must always check our conscience against the Word of God in our self-examination.   

When we consistently turn away from evil and focus on what is good, we will have joy. It gives us the strength to be examples and emulate the Lord’s perfect example.  When our outward service is in harmony with our inner state, there will be strength and joy in our service. In this way, we honor the Lord, and He can use us to be a blessing to others. Isn’t that a great motivation to be a good example?