Recently I was doing work that relied on using templates. The document design and layout needed to conform to the template. It got me thinking that we use templates for many things in life, even if we aren’t aware of it. We might dress in a certain way because we have a template in our mind, often created by social media. We might talk in a certain way because we have some ideal template for how to conform. Templates can be a good thing, but it depends on who we are basing our life on. The apostle Paul once said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul was holding his life up as a template as he copied the template of Jesus. Ultimately the best template we can ever have in life is Jesus. “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15). And here’s the really exciting part, unlike all other templates that we might follow or try and emulate, Jesus also help us live like him. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13). Whose template do you base your life on? (Craig B)
