Written by Claudia Malaquias, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Minas Gerais, Brazil
There is a fable about two donkeys who were walking to make deliveries, one with a load of sugar, and the other with a load of sponges. After walking for a while, they came across a fast-flowing river.
The donkey with the load of sponges said, “How will we cross? What if the river takes us?”
To which the other responded, “Nothing is going to happen! Follow me and you will see that we are safe.”
As he entered the river, his load of sugar dissolved and, becoming lighter, made the crossing easier. “What did I tell you? Now follow my example and come!”
But, to no surprise, as the other donkey entered the river, the load of sponges swelled with the water, became much heavier, and the current carried the poor animal away.
It is human nature to seek to belong to a group and to do so we often succumb to social influences, which experts call conformism: the passive acceptance of norms, rules, customs, and ideas that shape behavior without any reflection on our part. Therefore, following others without due diligence can result in serious consequences!
When I was first converted, still inexperienced in the Word, I tried to join one of the women's small groups in my congregation just by observing how they presented themselves. Following human instincts, I chose a lively, talkative group that was well-informed about everything that was happening in the church.
However, with time and maturity, I realized that the spiritual fruits that I needed to grow were not really being practiced there. The apostle Paul’s phrase: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1Co 11:1 NIV) is an invitation to imitate him, who clearly reflected our Lord, Christ Jesus, the perfection of love and sacrifice, while at the same time warning us to keep company with those whose choices are guided by God’s will.
At each step of our journey in the Kingdom, we need to direct ourselves to imitate those who have already matured in faith—people who show in their lives the fruits of the Spirit that we may still need to polish in our lives. In this way, little by little, we too will be an example for other brothers and sisters.
Paul felt confident in inviting others to become disciples of Christ by following his example. Do we have the same courage?
Knowing the Scriptures, developing intimacy with God through prayer, meditating on the life of Christ, and obeying His commandments are important for deepening our faith and communion with the Holy Spirit. With these practices as the load we carry, we will be an example for others, and it will become easier to discern good examples for us to follow as well.
In the fable of the donkeys, the mistake was to imitate without considering the load of each one. Sometimes that can be our mistake, too. May we seek our spiritual growth each day through the imitation of those who truly practice the example of Christ.
