What is a supermodel? In our society we use that phrase to define the most vain part of our existence as human beings – fleshly beauty. But when you break the word down there is nothing inherent in the word that necessitates it be used exclusively to describe fleshly beauty. “Super” means “excellent”, and “model” means “standard” or “example for comparison”. It is in this respect that all Christians should be supermodels spiritually.

We should all be an “excellent example for comparison”. This is what we find in God’s word as He lays out the standard for Christian living. Consider the wife with an unbelieving husband in I Peter 3:1-2 – “…they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.” How were these unbelieving men won; through the seduction of physical beauty or through God’s glory of spiritual beauty? Sure, the wife might have been wonderfully physically attractive, but it was her “excellent standard” of behavior, set forth by gospel living, that could lead her unbelieving husband to salvation in Christ Jesus.

But it’s not just women, the men also have a calling to be an exemplary model of godly living. In Titus 2:6-8, Titus is to encourage the young men to be “sensible, in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach…” What sort of example are young men to be; worldly, immature, average? Absolutely not! They are supposed to be an excellent standard of godliness. Spiritual supermodels if you will. You see in the context (v.8) that shame or reproach not even be mentionable because of these men’s upstanding godly behavior in word and deed.

When we live as Christians to godliness as we are commanded, when we live as spiritual supermodels in an otherwise ugly and distasteful world, we do not so out of arrogance or to be snobs. We do not act in such a way because we believe ourselves to be better than anyone else. (For in the end, we are all sinners.) Rather, we live godly because we have been called to live godly. We make righteous choices not to glorify ourselves, but the God whom we serve. Is this not one of the very first things that Jesus ever taught? “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

And this we do, we live as lights to the world and bring glory to our Father, as we put off the old man of sin and ungodliness and live the exemplary standard of godliness as set forth in the gospel. Romans 12-14, Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 4 – 6, Colossians 3, Philippians 2:12-15; I Thessalonians 4-5, and so on and so forth. Everywhere you turn in the New Testament the Holy Spirit calls us to live a life of spiritual excellence that is to be a model of righteousness to a lost and dying world. I don’t care how we look physically, as Christians we are ALL called to be supermodels spiritually.

Just as the physically wealthy are called to be spiritually wealthy in Christ Jesus (I Timothy 6:17-19), so we as Christians are called to be spiritual supermodels of faith and godliness (I Peter 1:13-15; 2:9-12). Let us search the scriptures to know and understand how we might be pleasing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:7-10). Let us live our lives following the most excellent standard ever given to mankind – the holiness in Jesus Christ. For He did not die so that we could live a life of sin and ungodliness, blending in with the rest of the world; but He died so that, “WE might DIE to sin and LIVE to righteousness.” (I Peter 2:24) May we all strive be the supermodels Christ has called us to be.

By David Osteen via Texas City Grace Gazzette, Feb 6, 2011