What is the importance of finding good role models?

Even in human things, if we admire the character of some great man, we love to study his life, to read his history, and we thus insensibly catch something of his spirit. It is indeed a moral law that we become assimilated to that which we admire. Human characters are often formed by taking some chosen model for imitation. Much more is this the case with the Christian. His only model, as we have seen, is Christ, and by keeping Him before his soul, not in one aspect but in all that He is, and delighting in Him, he is changed, as this scripture teaches, "into the same image from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord."

It is very easy without watchfulness to fall into an error even with regard to matters with which we are familiar, and the more so if it be an error into which others have fallen, because then we are exposed to the powerful effect which their example exercises.

This effect is not the result of conscious effort. When food is eaten the necessary assimilation of it by the body is not an act of will. It is a natural process operating automatically. So it is spiritually; we look upon Christ by faith as revealed in the word, and we become like Him. In ordinary life the force of the living example is fully acknowledged. And in the spiritual world it has its powerful influence in moulding the Christian character.

And further the only idea the young converts could gain of how Christianity could change men’s lives was to be seen in the lives of those who brought the message. So the apostle Paul could say, “I beseech you, be ye followers of me” (1 Cor. 4:16). Would that be modest language for a servant of Christ to employ today? And yet surely it was right for the apostle Paul to use it, and he used it with a deep sense of the grace of God, for the Corinthian believers were inhabitants of a city proverbial for its dissolute wickedness, whence it had passed into a proverb that if a youth was drawn into wickedness he was said to be Corinthianized. The Corinthian believers were dependent upon the apostle’s life to know what practical Christianity meant. On similar lines he could say to Timothy, “Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life” (2 Tim. 3:10).

Select only decided Christians to be your friends. Be sure your companions are strongly on the Lord's side. A man is known by the company he keeps. Stay clear of people with loose opinions and lax morals. Your companions will influence you either for good or for evil.

How truly said the wise king, "Forsake the foolish, and live;" not forsake folly, that goes with the man or woman; and again, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise," etc. From this double testimony we learn the overwhelming influence of a person. It used to be said of Napoleon the Great, to be in his company was to be drawn by him, even if he did not say anything.

As the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, so the heart values the company and counsel of the wise; and walking with them furnishes good lessons. But a companion of the foolish too surely proves where his heart is, cannot avoid being depraved by their evil communications, and unless delivered shall be destroyed.

Balaam is the worst influence that you can possibly be subjected to. The lowest society you keep is that which colours you. Many a person I have no doubt gets into low society, and he is leavened and damaged before he knows where he is. The Corinthians suffered from Balaam, the Thessalonians from Amalek. Woe betide you when you get into Balaam's company. He invited them out. You get into society, you get under its influence. If you read Rev. 2 and 3 you will see it. A man or woman is spoilt by the company he or she keeps. I do not mean in business. There is no notion of company in business. That is not company. You are then on the qui vive. I mean social company, where you can unbutton your coat; do you understand? In business you keep your eyes open.

The case before us is a striking illustration of this principle. "Simon Peter says to them, I go a-fishing. They say to him, We also go with thee" (John 21:3). Peter was the ringleader in this expedition, and all the rest follow. It will only take one wilful saint to send a whole company wrong. Let one prominent person go astray, and all the rest will follow. Hence, in a certain sense, the influence we have on each other is a very serious thing. Most certainly it is a solemn thing if it be not right. I do not speak so much of our words as our ways. Because "actions speak louder than words," and a man's spirit is of far more importance than his communications. His general habits will impress others a great deal more than his words, because words are easily forgotten; but the general habit, the life of the person, is more far-reaching in its effect.

I say this because I feel the importance of it, and with a desire that our hearts might, by grace, be kept near the Lord. The person that is going on with the Lord will affect others for good, and the man who is not walking with the Lord, but is walking afar off, will affect others prejudicially. The "I go a-fishing" of Peter influenced the rest, who thought, if they did not say outright, "It will not be wrong for us if he goes." The more important the person who takes the lead, the wider is the effect of his action. Peter had a remarkable place of prominence among the disciples, hence the weightier was the effect for good or for evil, of his lead, on those around him.

Sometimes, most subtle and dangerous of all, we entertain the idea that if only we join with our former ungodly associates we shall thereby more effectually gain their ear and influence them for good. This is a great mistake. We shall not lift them up. They will drag us down.