Note:  This sermon was given at CMCL soon before Michael left to attend seminary

When word first got out that my sermon topic would be on role-modeling, someone asked if I would be showing the congregation how to make figurines out of bread.  Someone else asked if Paul Brubaker was going to take pictures of me.  Well, with all this confusion around, I wanted to give you a nice, obvious demonstration of role modeling in action:  child imitates parent.  (give some illustrations here) We've done it as children, we've observed it as adults.  It starts early and while the dynamics change over the years, the role-modeling process goes on.  As adults we tend to trade in that instinctive replay like Ted showed us, for something a little more calculated.   You listened patiently to me, and I was inspired to be a better listener; you were pleasant and cheerful at 9 a.m. and I was challenged to be a little less whiney;  you marched for Roderick Frey and I was forced to think out my position on the death penalty.   Think about the people you've come into contact with this week: how they affected you, how they changed you.  Think also about the more generalized role models that influence you; the social stereotypes and cultural icons that shape us simply because we live in this culture.  There is no shortage good role models in this society, just an overabundance of bad ones.  And so we must be wise  We must understand and own the role-modeling process.  And we must be good players of it.

God's role

God is the author of role-modeling, just as God is the author of creation.  In the first, place, God created each of us with the capacity and desire to learn.  While we each have our own unique style and pace of learning, all of us have had plenty of turns as participants in the role modeling process.  It's one of the best ways to learn:  keep your eye on someone more experienced than you.  Child watches parent; student watches teacher; rookie watches veteran, and so the culture and wisdom of the ages is passed on.

Second, God plays in important part in supplying us with role models.  This is not to say that every sales clerk and wrong number in our lives is necessarily a part of the divine plan, a least I don't think it is.  But I think each of us can reflect on events, where at key points people have touched our lives, and changed us slightly or dramatically.  I have a skeptical streak just as I suppose the rest of you do.  But I've seen and experienced these chance encounters often enough that I'm ready to call them gifts from God. For example, I was ready to quit the violin after my freshman year in college. . .   story of Suzuki. . .

Third, In addition to giving us role models and the capacity to learn from them, God created us with free will, that is, the capacity to err, flub up, to do dumb things as well as those infinitely wise things we pride ourselves on doing.  My Bible is nearly 1300 pages long, and by page 3 Adam and Eve are listening to snakes, eating forbidden fruit, and getting themselves kicked out of the garden.  Big mistakes.  Didn't take long for that trait to manifest itself.  Sin enters the world, because Adam and Eve choose a poor role-model.  They probably thought they had received some new revelation of truth:  "Eat the fruit and be like God!"  Sounds good to me.   Sometimes the choices of who our role models should be and what we should be taking from them are not all that obvious.   The passage from I Samuel stands out as one of the premier bad decisions of the Old Testament--the Israelites choose a king and begin their roller coaster ride destruction.  God makes it clear:  "Their not rejecting you," God tells Samuel, "They're rejecting me."  They've decided to model themselves after the surrounding heathen nations, rather than use the models from their own story.   Fortunately for them and us, God doesn't abandoned them.   The Old Testament is absolutely full of stories where God's people exercise their free will and blow it.  It seems to  me that it is in this area of making wise choices that we in the church have the greatest opportunity to make an impact.  Free will is a given for everyone.  We in the community of God have a responsibility to help each other make the best decisions possible. . .  to teach each other to be wise as serpents.  This responsibility could apply to a myriad of areas but this morning I'm limiting myself to role-modeling.

How can we choose better role models and be better modelers?  The first step is to own the role models you already have.  That would be a good exercise sometime.  Think about the people you admire or who influence you and what traits you would like to pick up from them.  We all have our role models.  But some are bad and we didn't choose them.  Our only choice is in whether allow them to be major shapers of our lives.

Dealing with Negative Role Models

The most obvious example I can think of are the cultural role models that come to us primarily through the media.  Some of them are generic:  young, gorgeous women with firm figures, perfect teeth, nice clothes, beautiful kids and clean houses; successful men with tailored suits, expensive cars and stereos, competitive and masculine to the max.  It's no wonder we're a neurotic society.  Others come as specific personalities:  Rambo, Mattie Hayes, Ronald & Nancy Reagan, Jim & Tammy Baker, the Masters of the Universe, Oliver North, and Tom Brokaw.  Because we didn't choose them, it's easy to overlook the impact these cultural role models have on our lives.

Michael tells tory of the 4th grade boys discussing the Gulf war w/ Iran.  Teen survey on rape.  We adults aren't immune either.  I'm most aware of a creeping numbness.  An inability to feel shock or outrage at things which are shocking and outrageous.  Bad language, casual sex, dishonesty, violence, injustice.  I've become used to it.  The first step in controlling this influence is to name it, and accept the fact that you are to some degree influenced by it.

The second step to being better at the role modeling game is to look around you.  Be inspired by the real flesh and blood role models around you,  To in effect, counterbalance those powerful outside influences.   By and large, society gives us one-dimensional, mediagenic personalities and unacheivably perfect stereotypes as role models.  In the meantime, all around us are human role models with all their enviable strengths and human weaknesses.  We need to thank God for these human resources and better learn from them.

Learning from Positive Role Models

I think an important first step in learning from our role models is to affirm that we are modeling admirable traits rather than the totality of the person.  It's only fair that we let our role models be human, with all the weaknesses and failings that implies. At the same time, separating traits from personalities helps protect us from devastation when our heroes turn out to have feet of clay. Congregations are forever getting traits and personalities confused around with pastors.  The pastor is supposed to be Wonderful Counselor, almost God, everlasting church father and Prince of preach.  A church with this kind of pastor worship is setting itself up for a dangerous letdown.

When we think of role models we tend picture brilliant colleagues, doctors, scientists, ministers, and other folks that we figure have their act together.  That's why I'm fascinated by the people Jesus lifts up as models in the New Testament.  I'll read the Mark 12 passage again.

Mark 12:41-44     Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."

The poor widow is not your obvious candidate for stewardship, the Israelites were not looking to centurions for faith models, or publicans for models of penitence before God, and the disciples figured the little children were a nuisance, but not role models. The people Jesus exalts and the casts of his parables are exceptional only for being ordinary.  The message here, I believe, is to start your search for role models close to home, rather than in the ranks of power and prestige.

For the last three and half years this congregation has supplied me with role models that have inspired me, changed me and helped me grow spiritually.  You are why Patsy and I have stayed at CMCL and to a large degree why we are leaving.  The experiences we've had here and the encouragement you've given us makes me hopeful about the prospect of working within the church.  The way this group of people has functioned as a congregation provides me with a model of hope, that the church can be a place where people love each other, listen to each other, and work together for God's kingdom.  And when I'm gone from here I'll draw strength from the memories of people at CMCL who modeled hospitality and friendship, faith and dedication, stewardship and generosity, strength and humility, good listening and encouragement, and so many other noble virtues.  I pray that in the years to come this congregation will continue to be a role model and a source of inspiration both to its members and to the wider church.  God's blessings to you.