Making choices and trying to become a leader...

Chapters 4-6 of our text, Follow Me to Freedom, made me reflect on choices and their impact on our lives.  Who we choose to follow, how we choose to lead, and who we choose to surround ourselves with are all a reflection of our beliefs and who we are.  Each decision we make says something specific to the world…

Who am I following, and why?  One of the people I follow is the preacher that baptized my dad and introduced my mom to the grace of God.  He speaks at our congregation every year for his “Three Unusual Days.”  My friends and colleagues hear a lot about what Earl says, and I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned from him.  Why do I follow him?  He readily admits that he’s a sinner that struggles daily to be more Christ-like.  He shares the message of God’s grace, love, and the awe that he feels about Him.  Earl reminds me to see the beauty in the simple truth of God’s love.  He also reminds me that I’m a sinner saved by Christ.  You see a balance of the realities of our humanity and the overwhelming simplicity of God’s perfect love.

How am I leading?  I hope to lead with a servant’s heart and by example.  Today, I put on a silver cape and mask to become “Reading Diva” for our book fair.  I know that it doesn’t compare to feeding the hungry or rebuilding neighborhoods, but I made kids giggle.  They got excited about books…  They saw my love for reading….  And then one of my teachers volunteered to do it tomorrow while I’m gone.  My reality is that I know I can’t make everyone happy all the time, but my goal is to make sure that we are doing the best job we can at my school to teach kids and turn them on to the joy of learning.