Leading by Example

Written January 28th, 2009, 10:07pm- myspace/facebook

You know the saying, "Do as I say, don't do as I do."?
Well.. that is such a cop-out. I'm not going to say that I THINK it's a cop-out. Because for a fact, it is.
That saying rids you of every single ounce of accountability that is required. It rids you of all responsibility.
People can argue this all they want, and say well, if I'm a leader, boss, instructor of some sort, authority of some sort, and say "well, if I mess up they shouldn't follow me." Well, THAT'S a given. Anybody with common sense KNOWS that.

1 Cor. 10:33- 1 Cor. 11:1 says, "I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. Therefore, imitate me, as I imitate Christ."

Paul does NOT just say "Do what I preach, because God preaches through me, BUT DONT DO WHAT I DO!!" no, HE REALIZES that it is a HEAVY WEIGHT HE CHOSE to carry WHEN HE DECIDED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. NO, even BEFORE THEN. When He dedicated His life to Christ. WHEN HE SAW THE LIGHT.

Ephesians 5:1 says Imitate God in everything you do. It doesn't just say DO WHAT HE SAYS OR ELSE!!! No, God is GOOD and His character is good and God IS LOVE! and He ENDURES! So IMITATE WHAT YOU SEE, IMITATE HIM, FOR HE IS GOOD!

Another example is 1 Cor. 4:16.

There is so many times in the Bible where one person or another is beseeching you to imitate them! and it is ALWAYS FOLLOWED BY "FOR I IMITATE CHRIST!" it's never a "because I am the bomb and I wanna create my own following" type thing.

Man.. last night I was kind of just spending time with God in my room, and I asked Him, I was like GOD I wanna be like You sooo bad. Please show me You! Show me Your character God so I can be like You! I wanna know you!!! I wanna know You! I WANT TO KNOW YOUR CHARACTER, I HAVE TO HAVE IT!"
and IMMEDIATELY He said "then read 1 Corinthians 13."

SO. CHECK THIS OUT. THIS IS AMAZING.
verses 1-3
1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

EVEN GOD must hold to these standards. FOR HE IS LOVE. If He had not love, HE WOULD NOT HAVE GAINED US. (VERSE 3!!!) HE DID SACRIFICE HIS BODY! HE DID GIVE EVERYTHING HE HAD TO THE POOR! GOD GAVE HIS SON JESUS! JESUS SACRIFICED HIS BODY FOR US!! Without LOVE being the chords that tied HIM TO THE CROSS IT WOULD HAVE MEANT AND DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!!

DON'T YOU GET IT!! THIS IS THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE!!!! He could BOAST ABOUT IT TO SATAN EVEN! SAYING HA I GAVE MY BODY! but it would have MEANT NOTHING! IT WOULD NOT OF SAVED US FROM HELL!!! BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE!! WITHOUT LOVE YOU GAIN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!
There would be NO RELATIONSHIP WITH US!! HIS DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN IN VAIN! because it would have not established a relationship with us! He would have been like another dead lamb.
BUT HE LOVES US!!!!!!!! OH IT WAS LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Verse 8: 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

LOVE WILL LAST FOREVER. GOD IS LOVE! GOD LASTS FOREVER! GOD IS FOREVER!!! HE ENDURES ALL THINGS!!!! HOPES ALL THINGS! BELIEVES ALL THINGS!!! IT ALWAYS PROTECTS!

1 JOHN 4:16 GOD IS LOVE!!


LOVE leads by example.
LOVE leads by example.
LOVE doesn't say "Do as I say, don't do what I do."
LOVE says "WHATEVER IT TAKES, I WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY, I WILL BE GOOD AND RIGHT UNTIL IT HURTS, I WILL MAKE THE SACRIFICES I NEED TO TO SHOW.. YOU.. THE WAY... THROUGH THIS FIRE, I WILL GO, I WILL NOT TELL YOU TO GO THROUGH THE FIRE. I WILL BE IN THE FIRE, CALLING YOU TO COME IN WHILE I MYSELF AM ON MY WAY THROUGH."


Personally, I am at the place where I have always wanted to be. EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER!! EVERY SINCE I CAN REMEMBER SEEING OLDER TEENAGE GIRLS IN MY LIFE AND OLDER 20 SOMETHINGS IN MY LIFE I LONGGED to be an example!!!

and here I am... I am at such an amazing time in my life. All the tumult, all the raging seas, everything.. its so WORTH IT TO BE HERE, AND BE AN EXAMPLE IN THE FAITH!!!
to all my girls, YOU ARE ALL SO WORTH IT!! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU AND I LOVE YOU ALL!! And I want to continue to be an example to you ALL and all of you are GETTING IT!! YESS YOU ARE GETTING IT AND I LOVE THAT!!! AND I've shed so many tears for you all! You have no idea!!


MY HEART IS EXPLODING WITH SO MUCH JOY RIGHT NOW.
:-D
I love you all. :-)