JP78: Little Eyes are Watching: How to Live an Example Worth Following

When Hudson Taylor, the pioneering missionary to inland China, was still a small boy, he watched his father kneel to pray in the quiet hours of the morning. No lectures. No spotlight. Just consistent, quiet devotion. Years later, Taylor would reflect that those early images of his father shaped his understanding of what it meant to know and walk with God in a personal way.

His father wasn’t famous. He was a man who lived his faith out loud in the ordinary patterns of life, and little Hudson noticed.*

By the time Taylor became an adult, that example had taken root. He founded the China Inland Mission, led thousands to Christ, and reshaped global missions. And it began with a child who saw something authentic in the faith of someone older.

Jesus knew the power of example. That’s why, in Matthew 18:5-14, He gives both a sobering warning and a tender charge: the lives of those new in the faith—those “little ones”—can be profoundly shaped or hindered by how we live. Whether we realize it or not, someone is watching us, learning what’s truly important by what we do or don’t do.

“And whoever welcomes one child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes. 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire.,10 “See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of my Father in heaven., 12 What do you think? If someone has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go and search for the stray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over that sheep more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Mt 18:5–14.

Know The Weight of Your Influence

We often associate spiritual leadership with people with titles—pastors, teachers, elders—but in the Kingdom of God, every follower of Jesus carries influence. You don’t need a platform to be an example; you just need someone nearby who’s learning what it looks like to follow Jesus by watching you.

Jesus issues this warning: If you cause one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble... It’s not just a gentle caution—it’s a millstone-level rebuke. Because misrepresenting Jesus to someone new in the faith isn’t just a mistake; it’s spiritual sabotage.

That may sound harsh until we remember how much Jesus treasures each soul. New believers are precious, tender, curious, and easily shaped. Regardless of age, children in their faith don’t just learn from sermons but from our patterns. They watch where our attention goes, what our habits prioritize, and how our lives either echo or contradict the pattern of Jesus.

Recognize What You Are Teaching

We are always teaching something. Through our actions, tone, and lifestyle, we are communicating what matters most to us.

• If we say we trust God but constantly panic, we teach anxiety.
  
  
• If we say we love the Church but only participate when it’s convenient, we teach consumerism.
  
  
• If we praise Jesus with our lips but gossip, cut corners, or live for comfort, we teach hypocrisy.
  
  

Jesus wants our lives to match the message with authenticity.

Let’s be honest: we all fail at times. But what do people see when we do? Do they see humility and repentance? Or pride and deflection? New believers don’t expect us to be flawless, but they are deeply formed by how we handle those failures.

Adopt the Heart of the Shepherd

Jesus’ words in this passage are windows into the Father’s heart. He tells the parable of the lost sheep, showing us a loving God who leaves the ninety-nine to seek the wandering one.

This isn’t accidental placement by Matthew. It follows the warning about causing “little ones” to stumble because it highlights how much God values each soul. When someone drifts from faith due to a poor example or hurtful experience, God doesn't let them go without a fight. He pursues, rescues, and restores.

He invites us to care about “the one” just like He does—to not live with spiritual carelessness that pushes people away but with intentionality that draws people closer.

Live As Christ’s Ambassador

The apostle Paul once said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Could you say that to someone? Would you want a young believer to imitate your habits, your worship, your relationships, your spiritual hunger?

If not, now’s the time to realign. Because someone is watching, your life's legacy may become the foundation of someone else’s faith.

Let’s be the kind of people who live Jesus-patterned lives worth following.

Prayer

Father, thank you for entrusting us with influence, even when we feel unqualified. Thank you for those who look up to us, whether children, new believers, or those still exploring faith. Forgive us for the times our lives have been stumbling blocks instead of stepping stones. Renew our hearts with a deep love for you and a clear vision of your kingdom. Help us live with integrity, courage, and compassion. Let our lives point people to Jesus, not away from Him.  Make us people who reflect your love and truth in such a way that others are drawn to follow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thoughts for Application

• Take Inventory: Who in your life might be learning from your example, either intentionally or unintentionally? List 2–3 people.
  
  
• Seek Alignment: In prayer, ask the Lord to show you any disconnect between what you say and how you live. Invite His grace to bring change.
  
  
• Be Intentional: Choose one area this week where you can model Jesus more clearly—whether in worship, service, repentance, or generosity.
  
  
• Invest in One: Reach out to someone new in faith. Ask questions. Share your story. Invite them to grow with you. 

*Hudson Taylor in Early Years: The Growth of a Soul, by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor (i.e., Frederick Howard Taylor and Geraldine Taylor), with an introduction by D. E. Hoste. Originally published in London by Morgan & Scott, 1911 (511 pages, illustrated)

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