Skip to main content

Following The Leader

A few things happened this week that made me think of leadership and the role of a leader. It’s been said that in order for there to be a leader there must be a follower. I follow many people on Facebook and Instagram but I’ve also had to hide or unfollow those that are taking me somewhere I don’t want to go or know I shouldn’t go. I don’t want to be lead to inappropriate videos, photos or vulgar posts. So I don’t follow those people anymore. They are no longer leading me.

I took an exercise course last week where the instructor as she was demonstrating the proper form of exercise said “DO NOT, NOT, NOT do this exercise while standing on your bench” , as she was standing on her bench, she continued saying… “I’m standing on my bench because..” to which, I tuned her out. For me, it didn’t matter why she was standing on her bench. She had just instructed us to NOT, NOT, NOT. I couldn’t help but think that the best way to lead is by example. The old “do as I say, not as I do” came to mind and that isn’t the best way to lead people.

On another day, I sat with someone who was teaching false doctrine. Again, not somewhere I want to go. I want truth and I want others to lead me in truth! I heard recently, “show me your friends and I’ll show your future” in other words, we become like those that we follow and hang out with. Who are you following and where are they taking you? Are you hanging out with girlfriends who don’t respect their husbands? Demand things to go their way? Tell you that you deserve to be happy and have a fun night out? Is that some place you want to go?

Lastly, and this is what prompted me to write this, because I’m guessing you might be thinking the same as this sweet young mom I met a couple of weeks ago. She has a three year old and is very pregnant with her second child. She was talking about wanting to do more in the church, to get involved and I think her words were something like “ I want to be a leader”. It was at that very moment her sweet little guy who had never met me before, crawled up on my lap and gave me this sweet, tender hug. I looked at her, smiled and said “You ARE leading, you’re leading this little one, he is watching and following you. Not to mention you have another follower on the way. These are the ones God is calling you to lead, as you show them what a Christ Follower looks like.”  

I look back on some of my mommy moments in years past and I was no different than that exercise instructor saying “ DO NOT,NOT,NOT” then telling them “ I’m doing it because…” . Since God grabbed a hold of my heart, I’ve been learning to lead by example. I still mess up and am so thankful for God’s grace and patience with me. But my point is: as Christ followers, we should look to Jesus, hang out with Him and seek Him; our ultimate leader for guidance and then show others what that looks like.  Little ones are watching and they will follow where we lead them.  

Pressing On!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Season of Spring

  The mornings are so beautiful right now that I want to soak them in before the scorching heat is in its full glory. The sun comes up shortly after I do this time of year. My favorite thing to do is grab my bible, journal and a cup of coffee and sit out back with Annie while the sun rises. The birds are literally singing, the quail make more of a squawk like sound than a song but I love it.   Occasionally, I will hear an owl on a neighboring rooftop or the party of a pack of coyotes in the distance celebrating their recent conquest. I’m always surprised that these sounds don’t faze Annie one bit. Make no mistake, if the trash truck or other large vehicle drives past our dividing wall she goes absolutely K-9, as if she’s military, saving us from being attacked. Bless her heart.   Spring typically comes early in Phoenix and is somewhat short lived. I often think we go from Winter to Summer with seemingly little time to wear any of the light weight sweaters I have hangi...
2 comments
Read more

Woods and Deserts

  A dear friend of mine in Houston posted a photo of her daughter and friend walking either to or from school. At least that is what I assumed. It was a great picture of friendship shared between these two young teens. I recognized the path in the Woodlands. I’ve always loved the woods and that’s one of the many reasons why I loved living there. The massive trees, smell of bark, the rustling sound of fallen leaves and the warmth of the sun peeking through those shade covering trees. Nature is one of my favorite places to connect with God. I had many conversations with Him running on those paths.   I messaged my friend, “Ah. I miss those paths.” And she quickly replied with, “The paths miss you.” Haha. I think what she really meant was….. I am missed and it made my heart smile. I miss a lot about various places we have lived over the years. I am often asked, “Of all the places you have lived, where is your favorite?” My response is usually, “I have favorite things about eac...
2 comments
Read more

Minding My Own Tail

Have you ever heard of Happy Tail? Me either. At least not until our semi sweet chocolate lab came home from boarding with Happy Tail. They explained to me, it’s because Annie is so excited when anyone walks by her kennel; she wags her tail so fiercely that it beats up against the crate. This caused her to rub the fur off of a spot on the tip of her tail. Eventually, the skin broke open and it bled...... therefore she had been diagnosed with Happy Tail.  It cleared up until she had to spend a little more time in her kennel recently. At first I didn’t even notice. Only wondering where all the blood on my walls was coming from. Once I realized it was that Happy Tail again, I wrapped it with gauze and some first aid tape. That lasted only until the doorbell rang and a guest arrived. Several rapid wags and the wrap went flying like a severed finger and the bleeding was all over the walls along with our guest’s pants. So embarrassing! But also poor Annie. It had to hurt. I knew it ...
Post a Comment
Read more