“The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:23-28, NASB)

I have titled today’s devotional: Following Christ’s example and setting an example for others. As I read the passage, I felt a conviction that we are all called, as Christians, to live as middle-link people. This means our goal in life is to be saved through Christ, to become like him, and to influence others to do the same. To me, this is the purpose of the Christian life. It says in today’s reading,

“A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly. The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad. The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. A slothful man does not roast his prey, but the precious possession of a man is diligence. In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.”

To me, verse 26 says it all: “The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” This is not just a good devotional thought but God’s command for everyone who wants to live a life pleasing to Him. Jesus summed up the Laws of God, saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and might,” and “love your neighbors as yourself.” These two are the greatest and the second greatest commandments. Apostle John writes, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 Jn.4:20). There is a close connection between loving God and loving our neighbors.

However, many Christians misunderstand this idea and seek to guide their “neighbors” to righteousness without living themselves righteously. The Scripture establishes a vital sequence: one must first be righteous before one can effectively guide others to righteousness. To lead others toward the light of God, a believer must first allow His light to penetrate his inner self and character and let it shine through him. Before a Christian can set an example for the world, they must undergo a transformational process through the gospel of Christ. In other words, true Christian guidance or leadership is not a matter of skills, techniques, or charisma, but a natural overflow of a life transformed by God. You cannot teach others to be “prudent” unless you demonstrate what it means to be a prudent man. You cannot teach others “diligence” unless you demonstrate what it means to live a diligent life. You cannot teach others “righteousness” unless you demonstrate what it means to be right and live righteously before God. Otherwise, you are only being a leader who guides others from a chair. You are only an armchair guide. You are fulfilling the description, “But the way of the wicked leads them astray.” You end up becoming a “blind leading the blind.”

Apostle Paul understood this principle perfectly as he said, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor.11:1). Paul’s leadership was a middle-link philosophy. He looked upward so that those looking at him would ultimately be looking at Christ. The closer he imitates Christ, the more others will follow Christ. By calling others to imitate him, Paul accepted a weighty level of accountability. He knew that any failure in his walk could mislead others and lead his neighbors astray. This burden was heavy for him, and it will be burdensome for anyone who seeks to live the same way. Our lives are never lived in a vacuum. Someone is always watching, using our footsteps to guide them. We may not be burdened with influencing people nationwide, but we are still accountable to our wives, children, and other younger believers in our churches. Therefore, to be a good Christian who sets an example, we must do our best to follow Christ’s examples.

• Can a person guide his neighbor to righteousness without being righteous himself?
• What do you think Paul meant by the words, “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ?”