A Pattern for Living

During the years of World War II, finances were very tight and my family was no exception.  We did without many things; sugar, coffee, gasoline, chocolate, to name a few.  Clothing was passed down, taken in, and let out.  Nothing was wasted.  My mother had an eye for fashion and did everything possible for my sister and I to be well dressed.  She would go to the feed mill and buy feed sacks, which were of various patterns and colors, at that time.  From those feed sacks, she fashioned very pretty and stylish clothing for us. 

Mother never bought a pattern, but would create one from newspapers or grocery bags. Then she would cut and fit until it was just like an original she had seen.  When dresses with matching pinafores were popular, I would be sure to have one or more within a few days.  My sister loved ‘broomstick’ skirts and she must have had at least six of them, all different colors and patterns.

Today, no one would sew without a pattern, and many don’t sew at all, due to the availability of clothing in stores. Sometimes I think today’s standards have taken away much of our creativity.  I often think of my mother making a pattern; then cutting and fitting.  It reminds me of life and the cutting and fitting we go through.  Many people, the world over, are searching for a pattern for life.  Once they looked to storybook heroes, and then to the super heroes in comic books.  Today, they fashion their lives after the pattern of what they see on television. Who do you pattern your life after?  Is it Superman, Robert Redford, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts?  Is it the heroes of the Bible, or is it Jesus Christ who was and is the greatest pattern of all?

When Jesus was talking to the rich, young, ruler who was searching for eternal life, he told him how to achieve this, “Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."(Matthew 19:21)  When he called to the fishermen at the Sea of Galilee, his words were: "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." (Mark 1:17)

What Jesus was saying, in essence to these people, was to go with him, watch him, and do what he did;  in other words, to pattern their lives after Him.  In fact, this perfect Man, was the only one who had the answers to life.  He was an example of Holy Living.  There was just one problem to following Jesus; in looking to him as a pattern of living, it was going to take a lot of cutting and fitting to be like the original. 

I remember my mother saying, as she was fitting a dress on me, “It’s going to take a little tuck here and a little tuck there, for it fit right”.  This is true of all those who answer Christ’s call, “Come, follow me”.   At times, I can hear a quiet voice speaking to me and that voice says, “You’re going to need a little tuck here and a little tuck there”.  Then I wiggle and squirm with impatience, until I realize that a Holy Life won’t fit if I don’t stand still and let Him do the cutting and fitting.

What is this pattern for living like?  First of all Jesus had great Compassion.  We find the word ‘compassion’ linked with Christ throughout the New Testament.  (Matthew 9:36)  “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”   (Mark 1:41) “Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.”   (Mark 8:2) “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.”  He had compassion on the people because they were lost, they were sick and they were hungry.

We need to ask ourselves if we have that same compassion for people.  If He is our pattern, we need to reach out to the lost, the sick and those in need.  It may be here that we must be fit a little better to become more like the original.

The second part of the pattern is Consideration.  Perhaps, without realizing it, we are a pattern for someone else.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians regarding this.  “Everything is permissible--but not everything is beneficial.”  “Everything is permissible--but not everything is constructive.  Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.  Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."  If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.  But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake--the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?  So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God--even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (I Cor. 10:23-33)

Having concern and consideration for others is part of the pattern.  We must realize that we have weaker brothers and sisters, in the body of Christ, and in order to help them grow up spiritually, we must be that example. (Colossians 3:17) “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  If we follow the pattern of Jesus, we can be an example to those who are weaker.

Paul used himself as a pattern for the Philippians, (Phil. 4:9) “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” We, also, must put into practice the things we have learned from our Lord.  However, we can only put into practice the very things we have been fitted to.  It may be that we still need some adjustment, “a little tuck here, and a little tuck there”.  Let us become very aware that we are God’s tools in working with the ‘new babes in Christ’ and ‘in those who are weaker’.

The third part of the pattern of Christ is being a Servant.  (Rom. 15:1,2)  “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.  Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”   For some, being a servant is a natural gift and they are always ready to help others.  But, to others, becoming a servant takes a lot of cutting and fitting. Paul teaches us in the book of Galatians, that being a servant is not something bad, but is an opportunity to do good. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10) 

In Matt. 12:18, God, the Father, spoke of his Son, as a servant.  "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.”    We are also God’s chosen and as he loves the ‘servant’ in Christ, he also loves the ‘servant’ in his people.

Salvation does not come through good works, but only by accepting Christ as our Savior, who died that we might be forgiven and cleansed of our sins.  However, there are rewards for those who have a servant’s heart, and we must not give up on doing good deeds.  (Galatians. 6:8, 9) “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

As we grow into the likeness of Christ, let’s remember that in order to look like the original, it takes cutting and fitting.  It may also need ‘a little tuck here and a little tuck there’.  If we set our course to become like Him, we need to have compassion, consideration and a servant’s heart.  Jesus Christ is the pattern for living and our Hero for all time.