Module 7

Paul said to "follow me as I follow Christ." When I think about asking a student to follow me as I follow Christ, I...
doubt whether or not my example is worthy of following. If I were to say to a student the exact phrase "follow me as I follow Christ," I would want to make improvements. Yesterday, during my Day with the Lord, and sitting here this morning, I feel as though there is so much more I can do to serve the Lord. I haven't truly given him everything, as in all of my being. Yes, he's present in my life every single day, but not every moment. I know that I need to be realistic, because it's quite impossible to think about God or mediate on His Word every second of every day. But I want God to have a greater presence in my life.

I am not Paul. I don't think Paul thought about God every part of every day, but every one of his actions were dictated by his heart for God and his great sense of purpose. He was a true servant. I truly want and would like to be more active in my quest to let Christ's light shine in all that I do. And that's all that I do. Not 75%, not 80% not even 99%. If I want to give all of my life. all of my soul, my entire being - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual - to a cause this is the only one: To love God and to shine His light into the world.

I'm just starting to grasp what it means to live for the line and not the dot - that is for eternity, not for life on earth. I mean, what is my purpose? I no longer desire a big house with lots of nice things. I really had a dream to own a Victorian house with a balcony and lots of rooms. But walking around Boston yesterday with Micah I thought, this shouldn't be my goal in life. To live in a place like this. After my grandma died I realized how perishable material possessions truly are and how we really only have ownership of such items for a small amount of time. Grandma no longer owns anything. What does she have? Her soul, her memories (maybe?) and an eternity with Christ and the saints in heaven.

This is quite a slew of thoughts here, but I am thankful for this moment of reflection. In sum, I would say that I wouldn't yet tell a student to follow me as I follow Christ. Maybe I am the right mindset - I'll give myself that credit - but actions speak louder than words. These intentions would remain just those if I don't follow through.


Leadership is...
sacrificial. Biblical, pure leadership is living outside oneself for a greater cause. Leadership is not (well, should not be) about the individual. Unfortunately there are too many figures in human history where leaders focus on fame and power. While it implies that someone is in a position of authority, leadership is about servitude. It's about owning a purpose, setting a goal and guiding a team. It's about making a vision of the future a present reality. En route to achieving a goal or fulfilling a dream, leadership is the ability to discern wants from needs; to see the bigger picture; to bring out the best in co-workers by playing to their gifts and passions while helping them develop new skills. Leadership isn't meant for everyone, but everyone is affected by it.