The Mentor Leader, by Tony Dungy, chapter 6, Living the Message. “what we do is even more important than what we say.” And what is true of me as a leader or you as a spouse or parent is also true of the entire church, and this is magnified during tough times. If we say we love people but are not present for them in a tough time, they cannot help but wonder if we meant it. If we desire to teach our children about Godly living and fail to set the example by our behavior, then we fail our children. To tell someone it is important to be humble but always insist on your own way will result is selfish children and eventually a selfish society. If we want our children or our spouses or our church to be generous, then we ourselves need to be generous. Words are actually the least effective way to influence someone unless the words are attached to a life of integrity and humility. Almost everyone wants to know the same thing, “Are you interested in me?” And yet nearly every conversation we have we are thinking of something to say about ourselves while someone else is talking. We need to practice the art of valuing others. Practice listening, practice humility, practice honesty, practice helping others succeed, practice generosity, practice serving the less fortunate. When all we do is talk about these things, it leads to others thinking we are a fraud. Be genuine with people. Follow thru. Love them as you want to be loved.
