YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

Thirteen year-old Cody had the greatest admiration for Amanda, her 19 year-old sister. In her eyes, Amanda could do no wrong. Her older sister was the best looking girl in her school. She was active in her church’s youth program. She read her Bible and prayed every day. If Amanda thought it was cool to read the Bible and pray, so did Cody. So she habitually followed her big sister’s example.

Amanda was cheerleader for three years and won all the beauty contests. The report cards she brought home were always worthy of praise. Being an honor student gave Amanda a distinct advantage for college admission. This meant that she could pick the college of her choice, and she was almost certain to be accepted.

The University of Kansas was far enough from home, yet close enough that Amanda could afford an airline ticket home. It offered an excellent communications program which was a major determining factor for her college selection. UK gladly accepted Amanda for the fall term. Her bags were packed and she could hardly wait for the adventuresome college life.

Late nights, keg parties, and shacking up were common place on campus. Amanda’s beauty made her one of the most desirable freshman. She lived on campus the first year and dated most of the best-looking fellows. Guys could hardly wait to get their hands on her.

Being a virgin seemed to have a stigma attached to it. Even her best friends often ridiculed her for here “Puritan ways.” Hating the ridicule, along with so many anxious guys pressuring her, soon led to her losing the stigma that virginity carried with it.

As Amanda returned to the UK for her sophomore year, she moved in with her boyfriend, Brett, without parental approval. After all, two could live cheaper than one and everyone was doing it. Cody learned about Amanda’s loose lifestyle and was deeply hurt at first. But the hurt seemed to diminish as Cody reasoned her way around to thinking that maybe what Amanda was doing was cool.

Amanda’s example made it all too easy for Cody to become promiscuous on dates. It wasn’t just one fellow that she slept with. She went all the way with every good looking stud on two legs. Shortly after Amanda graduated from college, Cody developed a high fever and swollen lymph glands. When the blood tests’ results came back, the doctor called Cody’s mom and dad into his office to inform them that Cody had AIDS.

Have you ever deeply considered that someone may be watching your every move? Perhaps you have been told that “you need to be good because God is watching you.” But what about your sister, brother, friend or cousin? Are they watching you as well? Can your actions make a difference on an impressionable young mind? Could they secretly admire you for standing up to your religious convictions? When you relent and go to a ball game or a dance on the Sabbath, will it have an impact on more people than you have considered? What about the type of dress you wear? Would you really want to be dressed like Britney Spears when Christ returns? The consequences of your actions could be good or bad, depending on your deeds or behavior.

Jesus points out that we have a responsibility to others for our actions. “But if any of you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose his faith, it would be better for you to have a rock tied to your neck and be thrown into the sea. Woe upon the world for all its evils. Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but woe to the man who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away,” Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation. He is teaching the seriousness of the responsibility your example carries.

In the past nine lessons, we’ve talked about your attitude, your actions, and your words. Today’s lesson stresses the importance of your responsibility. Careless behavior takes its toll on you, but it doesn’t stop there. What you do can have far reaching consequences as it did with Cody contracting AIDS. But what is also at stake here is your eternal life!

We can fall into the same trap that the Pharisees and Sadducees did. They had placed more emphasis on their traditions and the literal interpretation of the Judaic Law than their example. We may pride ourselves on keeping the Sabbath, but there may be other areas of our lives that we need to look at closely.

Jesus is telling you in today’s lesson that you need to take your responsibility seriously. If you’re following Jesus Christ’s example, you are a walking example of high morals, service, good relationships, and God’s love and mercy. If we don’t exemplify Jesus Christ in all of our behavior, we may be causing someone to stumble. In short, He is telling us that we must walk the talk – our actions must match our words.

And they must match the Bible teachings. When God measures a man, He puts the tape around the heart instead of the head. If we are not walking the talk, we may be causing a friend or sibling who is watching our actions or listening to our words to stumble. If your actions do not match your words, those who admire you will lose respect for you and will stop following your words. They could turn away from God before they ever learn the basics of Christianity.

This is a heavy responsibility. God has given you gifts and talents. He expects you to learn to use them wisely and to be an example of His way of truth, love, and mercy.

The most valuable gift you can give another person is a good example. Someone like Cody is watching you and imitating your way of life. Will you be proud of your example? Will someone stumble because of you? Do your actions match your words? Do you Walk the Talk?