A man walks into the street and manages to get a taxi just going by. He gets into the taxi, and the cabby says, “Perfect timing. You’re just like Frank.”

Passenger: “Who?”

Cabby: “Frank Feldman. He’s a guy who did everything right – all the time.  Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time.”

Passenger: “There are always a few clouds over everybody.”

Cabby: “Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano.   He was an amazing guy.”

Passenger: “Sounds like he was something really special.”

Cabby: “There’s more…….He had a memory like a computer. Could remember everybody’s birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman, he could do everything right.”

Passenger. “Wow, some guy then.”

Cabby: “He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams, not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. But Frank, he never made a mistake.”

Passenger. “Mmm, there’s not many like him around.”

Cabby: “And he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good and never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too – he was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman.”

Passenger: “An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?”

Cabby: “Well, I never actually met Frank.”

Passenger: “Then how do you know so much about him?”

Cabby: “I married his widow.”

It’s hard to live in the shadow of someone great.  That’s true not only in marriage, but in other areas as well.  Those of you who are younger children may have constantly been compared to your older siblings (“Why can’t you bring home good grades like your brother?!”).  You may have this problem in the workplace if you have replaced someone who was a particularly good worker (“Bob didn’t seem to have any trouble meeting his sales quota.  Why do you?”)

As Christians, we face a similar difficulty in that our goal is to follow after the example of Jesus Christ.  The problem with our attempt to do that is that Jesus had no sin, and any comparison we make is going to fall far short!

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in his steps:  ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.’ ” (I Peter 2:21-22)

There is a big difference, though, between Jesus and others whom we may seek to emulate.  Christ not only set the standard for us, but he seeks to strengthen us as we resolve to follow his example.  “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18).  “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all…” (I Thess. 3:12).

Thanks be to God for not leaving us to feel helpless at our inability to “measure up”, but rather strengthens us as we grow closer and closer to that perfect example.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith