“Dad when I get bigger and bigger I am going to drink coffee too.”
One the funniest things about being a dad is the way that my kids try to copy me, repeat what I say, and really aspire to be like me.
It is fun, makes me feel loved, and also gives me a huge dose of humility as I realize what I show them is really important.
Everything I do, especially the things I do every day, are showing my son what it means to be a man.
He wants to drink coffee because his dad drinks coffee…every day.
This hilarious and sobering fact makes me immediately think about two things:
- That I want to show him I read my bible and pray every day, not just drink coffee!
- That young leaders who follow me also look at what I do regularly as a sign to what they should be doing too.
I have never told my son that he should drink coffee when he gets bigger. He just sees me doing it and infers that when you are a “big guy” you drink coffee.
Young Leaders are Watching
It makes me wonder what younger leaders who follow me think about being a leader for Christ. What would they say is a “must do” by looking at my leadership?
How am I modeling the things that I want others to do and emulate? What am I showing them with my actions, not just words?
Here is a list of things that I try and show younger leaders is a “must do” as they follow me as an apostolic evangelist:
- Take risks and be regularly in situations where you don’t know what is going to happen and may not have the answer going into the situation. That is a good thing, not a problem.
- Be aware to the voice of God and where he is wanting to work next. Not just where he is manifesting now.
- Start new things for God where they are not happening…be attracted to what is not happening more than what is happening.
- Have a regular prayer list of things that we need God to do, and him alone, or we wont hit our goals and dreams and the things God has already spoken to us.
- Study your bible and know the gospel stories like the back of your hand. Knowing the word is what gives you power in the moments you speak.
This is not a comprehensive list but I hope I model this and I think about it regularly. I want to “model “ a faith and leadership that is not comfortable, full of risk, and is seeing lots of new things start.
It is not that I think other models are bad, but I just really want to see more Christians rise up that want to go stir things up on the edge with God. More Christians that want to invite the whole town to a healing event like Mark 1, or go to Samaria like John 4.
I want to model a Christianity that is lived where things aren’t happening yet, more than where they are happening.
So if that is going to happen, I have to show them, not just tell them.
My son doesn’t want to drink coffee when he gets bigger because I tell him it is a good idea. He wants to drink because I show him every day!
How are you modeling the things that you want others to do? What are you showing them with actions, not just words?
Sign up to receive our blog posts via e-mail and get instant access to our APE Library with videos, seminars, leaders notes, and more.
