Is the performance of others supposed to have an impact on our Christian walk? We find the answer in the very helpful summary guidance of Hebrews 12:1-3, which focuses our attention on Jesus to equip us for “running.”

The main idea of this crucial chunk of Scripture is the command: “let us run the race that is set before us….” The first thing the writer of Hebrews gives us to support the race is a rationale: “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us run the race….” What witnesses? What do they have to do with my running well? In context Hebrews 11 gives a list of successful Old Testament believers. The point in every case is that these very real and flawed people trusted in God and His promises. The Bible presents these Old Testament saints as examples for our practice. The idea is “they did it; you can too.”

Maybe this is a new thought for you, but the concept of imitation is everywhere in The New Testament. Christians are imitators. We watch the success of others and emulate their successful approach. Not their personality, their failures, or even their experiences. We imitate their faith and their faithfulness.

The “cloud of witnesses” is composed of the OT heroes in Hebrews 11, warts and all. Can we take the principle of encouragement from those believers and apply it to believers in our time? Should I be encouraged by others’ success in trusting God? Yes! Hebrews 13:7 commands this: “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate the faith.”

One important takeaway for your Christian walk in Hebrews is the impact we are supposed to have on one another. As an observer, look for good examples. You might find some at church! As an example, be mindful of those believers around you who might need to imitate your faith.

As you do consider others as examples to encourage your faith, remember that only Jesus is worthy of emulation as a perfect example. As with the sinful people in Hebrews 11, our fellow believers will drop the ball from time to time and should not surprise us or cause us to doubt. We need to acknowledge the hurt we feel when others fail and, in Christian love, expect and encourage them to recover. This is how we should treat one another and how we should be treated. You never know how your commitment to loving obedience of our Lord through such a troubling situation might provide a solid example of faith and faithfulness for those around you.

Next time we can explore the idea of the Christian life as a “race.”