How you live matters!

What you do...both when people are watching and when they aren't matters. Plus you just never know when someone is watching you...you don't know when their eyes are on you.

Those of us that have children see this in them ALL THE TIME! We "catch them" doing good or otherwise...and the look are their faces is priceless! The look of "OH you just saw that?!?!" Just priceless!!

Here is a good thought though...as your children grow up...or maybe they already are...what will they see in you? Will they see a life that is consistent with how you raised them? Will they see a lack of integrity in your life? Will your life reinforce the principles you are teaching them? How you live really matters!

Over the years...between teaching and pastoring, I have heard parents say: "I don't understand why he/she acts like this...why do they act this way." At times, it is obvious that mom and/or dad are trying to teach principles and values that they are not living themselves. SO OF COURSE their kids aren't going to buy it! They aren't going to follow!! HOW YOU LIVE REALLY MATTERS MORE THAN WHAT YOU SAY! Another way to say it is...what you teach with your ACTIONS is more important than what you teach with your words!

The question we all need to answer is...Are we consistently living our life in the way we expect our children and others to live? THEN...the 2nd question is do we acknowledge our mistakes...our mis-steps...do we make things right? Do we say we are sorry...do we show our kids that we are a work in progress...OR do they just see inconsistencies...

"Train a child in the way he should go..." PART of that training is living the example in front of them.

This is the thing that is most convicting to me...AS Jesus looks at our lives...as he sees how we live and what we think...as he knows every motive that we have...What does he see...For starters...I'm glad he is a forgiving God AND I'm glad he gives us HIS Spirit to help us! 'Cause we can be inconsistent at times...

How you live your life matters! You are influencing people...one way or the other...you ARE influencing people...MAKE THE CHOICE to POSITIVELY influence others!