Following what is Modeled

The ideal of manliness in Indonesia is coupled with smoking. It’s very rare to meet a man in Indonesia who doesn’t smoke. It is only natural that this little boy in Lampung would be interested in the box full of cigarettes. All the men around him model this interest.

This reveals a deep human truth. What a person does has a far greater influence than what a person says. And the person with greater influence by far is the person whose talk and actions go together in perfect harmony. This is often the problem with religious people on Sumatra. Too many times the actions of the life do not match the proclamation of faith. This is true among all of the religions here.

One of the factors in the life of Christ that is so compelling is the absolute harmony between what Jesus taught and how He lived. If only the same could be said of those who claim to be His followers on Sumatra.

Pray for believers on Sumatra to live according to the example of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pray for people on Sumatra to comprehend the perfect unity between how Christ lived and what Christ taught.

Pray especially for Sumatrans to hear, understand, and accept what Christ taught specifically about Himself.

Jesus does not expect us to do anything that He did not do Himself. After all He left a perfect model for us to follow!