To help you assess where you need to be if your children are to grow up into a godly blueprint of your image, I'm sharing an important area in which every spiritual parent should purposely and consciously serve as examples.

So prepare to make some mental notes about where you are now in the process, because I want to help you get to where you need to be.

Be an example by having passion to see the lost come to Christ.
...I myself strive to please [to accommodate myself to the opinions, desires, and interests of others, adapting myself to] all men in everything I do, not aiming at or considering my own profit and advantage, but that of the many in order that they may be saved.
(1 Cor. 10:33 AMP)

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
(1 Cor. 11:1)
Paul says, "Imitate me, as I imitate Christ, who left all and gave up all to save us!"

If it costs me money, ease, comfort - even legitimate things that I may be entitled to - I must be willing to give it up. I must be willing to adjust my schedule or my lifestyle, if necessary, if it results in people getting saved!

We cannot afford to have a casual, apathetic attitude about the salvation of the lost. We must be passionate! It is of preeminent importance to God, and it should be to us. It is the reason for which Christ died!

Our attitude will be reproduced in our spiritual children. When we are no longer touched by the plight of lost people and we are no longer actively doing something about bringing them to the Savior, then we re no longer following Jesus, because He said in Mathew 4:19, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

We need to pray for the lost, give of our finances in order to get the gospel o them, and share Christ with them ourselves.

"Do You Really Want to See Him Saved?"
A friend of mine was earnestly praying for the salvation of one of his neighbors one evening. God interrupted his prayers and spoke to his heart, saying, "Do you really want to see him saved?"

"Yes, Lord," was my friend's honest response. What came next really put his earnestness to the test.

"Then give him your motorcycle."

There was a long pause, followed by, "Why, Lord?"

"If you really want to see him saved, give him your motorcycle and see what happens."

Without further discussion, my friend rode his motorcycle across the street and into the garage where the neighbor was working. "Do you like my motorcycle?"

"Yeah, sure. Why?"

"It's yours."

"What do you mean, it's mine?"

"It's yours. I'm giving it to you."

"Why would you give me your motorcycle?"

"God wants you to know that He loves you."

At that, the neighbor began to cry. A few minutes later, he was praying the sinner's prayer and receiving Jesus as his Savior.

This man truly lived out Paul's words by accommodating himself to the desires and interests of his neighbor that he might be saved. By his godly example, he was saying, "Imitate me, as I imitate Christ."

Copyright © The Miracle of Mentoring by Bayless Conley
All rights reserved. Used by permission.