The ‘80s and ‘90s are known for some quirky songs, but one of the top has to be by British Boy Band “Right Said Fred.” The song I have in mind is ”I am too sexy.” If you don’t have any idea of what I am talking about, don’t worry, I realize this is a family magazine and it really is not risque like it sounds. I don’t claim to know what “Fred” had in mind when penning it, but it’s obviously not to be taken seriously. At worst it’s a song that takes a good-hearted jab at fashion models. Having actually been a model at one point in my life, I can relate. Okay, for transparency’s sake, my modeling “career” lasted about three hours and never once did the photographer include my face, but only the oversized work pants I was wearing. It was my first and last “gig.” But at least I can now put “male model” on my resume and remind my wife of that on a regular basis. 🙂 But let me give you the chorus of Fred’s song:
‘Cause I’m a model, you know what I mean,
And I do my little turn on the catwalk.
Yeah, on the catwalk.
On the catwalk, yeah.
I shake my little tush on the catwalk.
Like I said, quirky but kind of funny. My point is this. I agree with Right Said Fred. I am a model, and you are, too. If you are a father, or a mother, a grandparent, or even an uncle or aunt, we are all models to the younger generation. And if you are a Jesus follower, this is particularly the case. And yes, Paul the church planter and the author of much of the New Testament, knows what I mean! Writing to his younger protege, Timothy , he says “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV).
In a way, Paul is saying, it’s like we are on a catwalk. But instead of being surrounded by fashion critics, we are surrounded by people that are watching our every move…for better or for worse. Dr. Duffy Robbins, an expert on adolescents, affirms this truth. He argues that the single most important way we can pass our faith along to our children and teens is by our example. As he puts it, “our lives should speak louder than our lips.” In other words, if we tell our kids not to lie, yet lie to our boss to get out of work or tell them God is the most important in our life, but give God the leftovers of our time and resources. Our lips are saying one thing, but our lives are saying another. For Duffy, in order to walk that “Christian catwalk” right, we have to get the two in sync.
Last month we celebrated Mother’s Day and this month we are moving on to celebrate us fathers. There is not a better time to step back and reflect on what kind of examples we are to our children. No, we are not, and can’t be, perfect. There is only one who has been there and “done that.” But with God’s help we can move in that direction…and not continue to say one thing and do another. Because it is true. We indeed are all models…and now, you know exactly what I mean.
