How to Live a Holy Life | Page 4

have a model by which to
fashion our work. In fact, nothing is done without a pattern, either real
or imaginary. The little boy making a toy has in in his mind a model by
which he is framing his work. Likewise, the sculptor has in his mind a
model, and as the "marble wastes, the image grows" into the likeness of
the vision in his soul.
To live this one life of ours as it should be lived, we must have a
perfect model after which to pattern. Thank God, this perfect model of
life can be found. Of all the vast number of lives that have been lived
since Adam down to this present day, there has been only one that we
can take as a model. This one is the life of Jesus. He says, "I am the
life." To live this life of ours well, to live it to the highest degree of
perfection, we must fashion it according to the glorious life of Christ.
The life of Jesus is the model life for every other human life. He invites
us, yea, commands us, to follow him, to step in his steps, to walk as he
walked.
There have been many good men in the world, but none of them afford
us a true pattern of life. There was a man who said, "Be ye followers of
me," but he immediately added, "even as I also am of Christ." Man may
so live as to reveal to us the life of Christ. We can then follow, not
them, but the Christ-life they manifested through them.
Let me here say a word on a subject on which we may have more to say
hereafter. The grandest, noblest work man has ever done is by his life
to reveal the life of Christ to another, thereby helping that person to be

fashioned more after the image of Jesus. A little flower grew in a place
so shaded that no ray from the sun could fall directly upon it. A
window was so situated that at a certain time in the afternoon it
refracted the sun's rays and threw them upon the flower, thus giving it
color and beauty, and aiding it to bloom. Some people are living in the
dense shade. No light from Christ has ever shined upon them. If you so
live as to refract the life of Christ and turn it upon them and thus stamp
upon them a holier life, you have not lived in vain. To set the life of
Christ in its purity and beauty before some one and influence him,
though only a little, to live better and love Jesus more, is a work the
worth of which can never be computed. He who helps another to a
better way of living does more than he who gains great worldly honor
and riches. Blessed indeed is that life which causes some other life to
be more like Christ. Oh, may this thought seize upon our hearts and fill
us with a greater passion to live the life of God.
We are told by the voice of Scripture to be "followers of God as dear
children." When children are dear to the heart of the parent, he loves to
have them obey him. God's children are dear to him, and he would have
them follow him. To follow God is to imitate him, or be like him. This
is the true way of life.
A text of Scripture as rendered by the Revised Version is very
appropriate here: "Like as he which has called you is holy, be ye
yourselves also holy in all manner of living." 1 Pet. 1:15. Only those
who live godly in their entire manner of life are spending the days of
their pilgrimage as they should. Jesus has walked the true way of life;
we are told to walk in his steps. If we will step each day just where
Jesus stepped, then on looking back, we can not see a footprint of our
own; but if we take a single misstep, our footprint will show our
departure from the true way of life. How deep and awful are the words
of Scripture wherein we are commanded to walk even as "Jesus
walked"! Jesus says, "I am the way." There is no other right and perfect
way. If we will walk as Jesus walked, then we shall walk in the true
path of life. This only is the pathway that leads up to the golden gates
of glory and the sweet fields of heaven. That bright world of bliss
encourages us on. If we will follow Jesus and live as he lived, God's

approval will be upon us, and his outstretched hand will help us along
life's way and