Leading by Example

I wrote this post a couple months ago, and kind of just let it sit in my draft folder. I am so imperfect... though I know these truths, and believe them, and want to follow the Lord in his leadings, I so often fail. But I wanted to share this post with you, not because I have it all together, but because I want to encourage those of you who may read it that even when we stumble, Christ can be glorified. "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." (Romans 7:21-25) "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9). With that being said, when I say something like "recently" in the post, it is at least two months un-recent, but I wanted to share what was on my heart at the time, rather than what I think reading back through it :).

I've been convicted lately of just how much my siblings are watching me. They are so ready to follow my every move, so ready to follow my lead, whether I realize that I am leading not.

For instance, I recently started wearing more jewelry. It's not that I've ever had a problem with jewelry, I just rarely took the time to put it on. But I started wearing it regularly earlier this month. It took about two days before a couple of my sisters were doing the same, and it really made me realize how much they are watching me!

If I have a bad attitude, they are most likely going to as well. I have seen this happen many times, way more than I would like. Something happens that I don't like, and I speak to them with a harsh tone, and then they invariably answer in the same tone. But it works on the flip side, too. If I decide to follow the Lord's promptings and be gentle, so will they. Just the other day while I was babysitting, I started to fuss at Peter, and he started to scowl, but the Lord prompted me to be calmer, and you could see Peter's face melting as my voice softened, to the point of giving me a hug by the end of the correction.

They are watching everything I do, to see how I will respond, what I am going to do... and then do it themselves. God has placed this in the hearts of all little siblings... they want to be just like us. They want to match us, copy us, be like us. It is up to us, as the older sibling, to, with the Lord's blessing, keep their hearts open to following us... and to give them something worth following.

They are going to copy what we do... so maybe we should ask ourselves... do I want them to rejoice, or complain? Do I want them to speak gently, or harshly? Should they say please, or take that toy without asking? Your answer is going to be the former for all of those questions... but do we model that for them? And if we do, do we let them know that it is because Jesus directs our steps?

What are some ways you can think of to help your parents by your example as they follow the responsibility to train these little souls for Christ?

Growing by his Grace,

Bri :)