The Imitation Of Christ

The Imitation of Christ

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. Galatians 5:24-26

Whenever something goes wrong, either on the football field or at home, the first words that come out of my mouth are usually, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” So I shouldn’t have been surprised when I heard the same words come out of the mouth of one of my sons recently when another son broke his toy. He sounded just like me. He even put the right emphasis on got.

Children are imitators. They learn by watching the people around them, especially the authority figures closest to them. What we say as parents may be important, but it’s not nearly as important as what we do. When our actions are inconsistent with our words—and kids will notice because they are uncannily perceptive—kids will almost always ignore our words and follow our actions.

True obedience is not just a matter of words but of action and follow-through. That’s not only true of obeying God; it’s a fact in every area of life, especially our leadership. And it’s never more true in our leadership than in our relationships with our kids. Words are powerful, but actions are much more so.

There’s no doubt about it: our children are watching. If you tell your son it’s important to treat women well but are consistently rude to your wife, guess which message will sink in? But if you teach your kids about the importance of honesty and then show how that plays out in your life—by letting the cashier know she gave you too much change, for example—your words and actions line up to send an even more powerful message. Your values, your motives, and your ethics will be passed on to your kids not through your words, but through your actions. Demonstrate who you want them to be, and that’s who they will most likely become.

Uncommon Key > Actions speak louder than words. The most effective lessons you teach are the ones you live before others, especially your children.