Examples, Leadership and true to Who?

I posted my previous entry to a couple of different places and received the following comment in response to this line: "I pray I would have the courage to stand and that they would be proud I made that choice."
"Excellent line right there. Actions, not words, train children. Or really anyone, or so my years in leadership roles have taught me. We can only hope the eyes watching our example are seeing the best of us, and building that into themselves, not just the times we fall."


It is by Living the example that I can best teach my children. I know that I fall far short of the ideal that I should be. That I am not the man that The Lord has called me to be, The husband my wife desires me to be, or the father my children need me to be. I think it ultimately comes down to 2 things, and possibly even a single thing. Selfishness. The desire to put myself and my wants first. To live out the concept of "Above all else, to thine own self be true."

I have written on this before, and perhaps I say it again because it is a lesson I still need to learn. That there is a higher calling than being true to yourself. That is to be true to Jesus Christ.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. " and   23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
What this means is that we, in our natural selves are selfish, and desire to put ourselves first. We want to be God, and in control, if not just ourselves, everything around us as well. We have to learn to put Him first in our lives and put him in control. That is not an easy thing. We all have our own thing, that which is precious to us. Our own private, or not so private, part of us which separates us from God and yet has to be put to death to free us to move toward a more Christ-like life. This is why we can not Judge others, because we ourselves are no different. The specific sins may differ, but we all have them, and it is a daily, even hourly struggle to put them to death and turn to God.


To be true to "thine ownself" is to elevate that very thing that separates us to a place that should be occupied by God.






This then is the example I should be giving my Children, the example of putting my own precious things aside and seeking The Lord.

Will we stand?

On January 7th, Three gunmen burst into the offices of a Satirical French newspaper and opened fire killing 12 in apparent retaliation for comics and scenes that ridiculed Muhammad. Reportedly the editor, who was among those killed said "I'd rather die standing than live on my knees."  He strongly believed in the freedom of speech, and was willing to die for it.  His blood, and the others, were part of the patriots who water the tree of liberty.


The quote, from Thomas Jefferson, is as follows:

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants



All too often we focus on the necessity of making sure it is the blood of tyrants that water the tree of liberty. The question becomes, especially in these times, Are we willing to be the patriot, are we willing to stand in defiance of those who would destroy liberty even if it costs our own life? I want to say, yes, I believe in the ideals of liberty, of freedom and even more importantly in Christ himself who provides TRUE freedom that I would lay down my life. And in some ways it is easy to say that, and I think I could. But then comes the next question. Am I willing to risk the lives of my family for those same ideals? I am not a lone man, not an island. I have a wife and children who mean the world to me. Do I have the right to make that stand, if the time comes, that puts them at risk. Or do I keep my head down, do the best I can, and try to ensure their safety. I can hope that I instill in them the same belief so they are understanding of the risks of liberty and willing to stand with me. Yet, I know I don't live up to that. How often do I stay outside to keep an eye on them when they are playing outside, or tell them to not wander around, or act overprotective about things I myself did as a kid? Does that really teach freedom? How do I ensure that they grow to learn that there are things much greater than themselves that are worth dying for. That first and Foremost is living for the glory of God. That is the highest good and should be the goal of all people. They need to know that Every person needs to be free to pursue (or not pursue) God's will for their life and that Liberty is the best way to allow that. I want them to know that the time will come when they must make the decision to either stand for God, or they will have to go along. It will Cost to take a stand for Right. The cost may be as simple as disapproval of their peers, but may one day may cost them dearly. I pray my children have a life that is filled with peace, with all their needs met and blessed by The Lord. But I also pray that if the day comes they have the courage to stand. I pray I would have the courage to stand and that they would be proud I made that choice.




Are you willing to water the tree of Liberty?