You ARE A Model

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope this post finds you all having a had a great day as a beautiful Friday evening is upon us!

Earlier this week I was listening to Focus on the Family when one of the folks speaking said something like, "You are a model. The only question is, what are you modeling?" I don't remember what brought it up, who said it, or, quite honestly, what day it was! :) But that thought, "You are modeling something...what is it?" stuck with me.

It is very similar to the comment I heard last weekend when I was at a men's conference at our church. A gentleman, who is in education, was speaking. He said, "Kids have never listened. But, they have never failed to imitate." Pretty powerful statement don't you think?! Kids don't listen...well, neither did you and I! :) But that next part, well, that should both frighten and inspire us all! :)

Yes Friend, you are a model. The only thing you & I have to determine, daily, is what we will model. Faith or fear? Compassion or judgement? Love or hate? Are you getting a little uncomfortable right now?! :) Should I keep going? I think you get the point: you and I are modeling something...every day!

And then I heard Chris Brown from Stewardship.com say something about influence on Thursday, or maybe it was Wednesday... Doh! Been one of those weeks however it fell in line with being a model, understanding you & I have influence, etc. I went to the Stewardship.com website to try to get exactly what he said the other day - see what I did there? :) - however I could not find it. Instead, I found two articles from the Stewardship Team about influence and I wanted to share a few excerpts from each with you.

The first article was titled, "Why Influence Isn't Based on How Much You Have", and was published September 7, 2016. Here are the excerpts I wanted to share:

"The world says that to be influential, you have to be powerful."

"But God says something else: Influence is available to anyone in any walk of life. It's earned through persistence and wisdom. It comes when you honor God in whatever He's given you, whether that's very little or a whole lot. And it comes to those who don't necessarily go looking for it. In other words, influence is the result of biblical stewardship - managing God's blessings, God's way, for God's glory."

"You can influence others at your job, in your town, or among your family and friends, even if you don't fit the world's criteria for an influential leader."

The second article is titled, "5 Essential Traits for Being Influential." It was published on June 29, 2014.

"If you're a living, breathing human being, you've got something to offer. You matter. And there's someone out there who can learn from you."

"Set aside your notes for everyone else and work on yourself. You've got the drive, knowledge and integrity that's needed to make a difference."

As for the 5 essential traits:

"Be kind. A gentle spirit goes a long way. If you want the ears of others, you must first be kind."

"Be sincere. Mean what you say. Kindness is only effective when it is perceived to be real."

"Be consistent. Influence is subtle. If you character must change, be sure it does so in a positive direction."

"Be humble. You may be right, but acting haughty is wrong. When you don't know best, admit it."

"Be trusting. Relinquish control whenever possible. Build confidence in others by expecting results."

Bottom line Sweet Friends, you ARE a model and you ARE influencing others. It is 100% up to you what you will model and what your influence will be. 

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev