Where Is Your Pattern?

One time I was helping a friend to cut out some fabric pieces. She gave me a pattern and I cut the pieces by that pattern. Well after a while, I had laid the pattern to the side, at some point and started cutting by one of the other pieces. Now, you might think to yourself, "Well if the fabric was cut by the original pattern,then you could cut the other pieces by it. Well....in order for this to work, the pieces would have to be exactly like the original without a single flaw and of course they were not,by the time that I got to the end of this cutting job, some of those pieces were so off it was not even funny. My friend laughed at me and said what in the world did you do? I said I guess I got away from the pattern, we both looked at each other and I said, "Well..that will preach." You see we want to look at other Christians and pattern ourselves after them when we should be looking to Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of our faith as our pattern. He is perfect and He will never lead us astray. When we try to follow after what other people are doing or not doing for that matter, we will surely get off the track.

Look to Jesus, He is our perfect example. If something isn't in the word, then don't have a debate or issue with it. Follow Jesus and His word and everything in your life will be in perfect alignment with Him. Other folks get it wrong sometimes. They are human and if we are following after people and looking to them for our only instruction or pattern, sooner or later we will become offended or mislead. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will stay on the right path and not suffer as much in this life. He is our good Shepherd and He will lead us in the right paths. He loves us with an everlasting love, He laid down His life for us that we might be one of the redeemed ones. He will never leave us or forsake us.

Friends come and go. Church folks come and go, but He will always be right there by our side leading, guiding and directing us into all truth. He is our very best friend and He is our pattern. When we shape our lives after Him, we won't end up with scraps, we will end up with wonderful pieces, fitly joined together to make a wonderful God given design. Look to Him today, He is the perfect pattern.