In His Steps

In His Steps

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Luke 2:52

One of my all-time favorite people in the Bible is Joseph. When God chose the man and woman who would be Jesus’ earthly parents, He chose not only Mary but also Joseph. Joseph was the spiritual leader, a mentor, and a role model. Jesus learned the carpentry trade by Joseph’s side.

The interaction between Joseph and Jesus is the same type of relationship we see in many Amish homes. Joe Eicher describes an example of that interaction from his own life:

Dad took me along as a child to hunt mushrooms. He showed me which ones are okay and which ones aren’t. We always went mushroom hunting after a thunderstorm in warming spring weather. Those seemed to be the best conditions for finding some good ones. Dad taught me that flat mushrooms that grow on or around trees are the poisonous ones. The main ones we hunted for when I was a boy were the spikes and the yellow sponges that grow around stumps. We didn’t take any tools with us to gather them, just a bag to put them in.

Each of us can look back at people who influenced our lives. In addition to my godly grandparents, I also had a Sunday school teacher who was an encouraging example to me. She spent time with me, invited me into her home, and made me feel special.

We can read books and hear sermons to learn to do what is right, but the best way to learn is to follow the footsteps of another. Just as Jesus was led, He reached out to others. When gathering His disciples, He spoke these familiar words, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Matthew 4:19).

Were you influenced for good in some way? The best way to say thanks is to turn around and reach out to another person.

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for bringing people into my life who model the right way to live. May my life be an example to others today, and may You be glorified in the process!