Whom Can They Follow?

There is always the question of the influence of our example on others: the example of parents on children, of teachers on youth; the example and influence of all whom young people look to for leadership or whom they much admire.

Adults, parents, and others, who have grown up with good teaching, good training, and whose basic foundations and habits are somewhat firmly fixed, may, at some point, depart a little from their own principles; let down a little; or “live it up a little,” as they sometimes say, without being too much concerned. With them it is only a little letting down of standards, a little lapse. But those who are young and impressionable, those who are watching and feeling their way along in life, see the example; they see the compromises of principle, the temporary lapses, the little “let-downs” of those they look to for leadership, and the young who look to those who are older for leadership may be led to suppose that such letting down, such lapses don’t matter very much. There is the oft-quoted question from Paul: “for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself….” This becomes more and more pertinent as more and more young people are pondering the problems and looking for direction, for standards, for examples to follow, and then see a disappointing example, or hear an uncertain sound.

If children cannot follow parents, whom can they follow? If youth cannot rely on the conduct of adults, on whose conduct can they rely? If they cannot count on parents or teachers or older friends to set a proper pattern, upon whom can they count? Example has a way of inducing others to go higher or to fall farther. And any departure from what we should be and what we should do cannot in good conscience be justified, when others look to us for leadership. If those who are young see us move in a devious direction, or if they hear from us an uncertain sound, whom can they follow, whom can they count on?