Someone is Watching

Our Scripture for today is Proverbs 20:7
“The righteous lead blameless lives;
blessed are their children after them.”

The construct of this verse is not by accident. It begins with a simple statement about how people who do the right things, lead blessed lives, but quickly adds how this affects their children – they are blessed because they follow them.
It is sad that people mindlessly say, “It is my life!” The truth is that it has never been my life and mine alone. Each of us have someone who watches us to see what we do. They do not watch to judge us, but rather to emulate us, to do things like we do.
One older Jewish lady made the point that people who have only done things 15 times, ought to listen to people who have done things 150 times. In fact, they do! They always have.
When Moses led Israel, Israel was blessed. There came a time when Moses was no longer available to lead. Who did the people turn to? Of course the obvious choice is to turn to the young man who followed Moses for 40 years. The man who spent his life following in his footsteps. That younger man was Joshua.
When Moses climbed to the mountain to see God, it was Joshua who followed Moses up that mountain. He did not go all the way to the top but accompanied Moses longer than anyone else.
When Moses met with God in the tent, all the people stood at their tents. Joshua did not. He stood at the door of the tent where Moses met with God.
Unfortunately, it works the other way too. We would do well to remember the words of the unknown poet who said:

A careful man I want to be —
a little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray,
for fear he’ll go the self-same way.
I cannot once escape his eyes.
Whatever he sees me do he tries.
Like me he says he’s going to be —
that little chap who follows me…

Today, someone follows your example. That is why we need to be careful. We do not know who is watching and following.
Lonnie Davis