The Power of Modeling

Examples are often more powerful than words.  You live as an example for someone.  The question is what kind of example you set.  

This is the third post in the expansion of what I said at the men's retreat.  Thanks for reading.  Hopefully these stories of how men made a difference in my life will stir you as they have me.

I had an incredible privilege in college.  Yes, I got to go to a private university that provided a great education.  That was certainly a privilege.  But that's not what I'm talking about here.  I had the privilege of seeing a person whom God is currently using powerfully on the national ministry scene, watching from up-close-and-personal distance and having the opportunity to interact with him and the others in the ministry.

Here was the thing that was stunning.  What he said on the platform was consistent with how he worked at the office, conversed with students, interacted with his family, etc.  I'm just a guy from a small town in east Texas.  To my knowledge, I had never been in a position to see someone so popular, much less see them in multiple settings and interact with them personally.  And the ministry examples I had growing up were not terrific, save a godly female youth minister.  Most were distant, conniving, political or deceitful (or some combination).

But here was this guy.  He preached his heart out and God used him like none I had ever seen before.  And he also really believed it, evidenced by his off-stage activities and attitudes and interactions.  That indelibly marked me.  It changed the direction of my life by setting integrity as a destination.  I'm confident I had heard teaching and exhortations on being a consistent person wherever you are.  Not until I saw it modeled in ministry did I it really take root.

Sometimes, examples are more powerful lessons than words.