Role Models

Yesterday, I had about 2 hours of work sitting on my desk calling my name. It was a hectic day in the office and I was being pulled in several directions. I finally carved out some time on my calendar and blocked two hours in the afternoon to crank on my work.

I went to the quietest place I could find on our campus and sat down at a cafeteria table next to a window that overlooks the beautiful fall trees outside.

I carefully spread out my work, surveyed the task ahead of me and was about to get started when I spotted them: two random employees who decided to sit right by me.

At first I was annoyed because they were talking really loud, and I was having a difficult focusing on my work. Then the "cool" one switched into fraternity mode and used about every cuss word imaginable to hold a discussion with his fellow peer.

Initially, I was embarrassed for him because he represents our company, was sitting on company property and didn't represent the values and ethics of our company. Then I was irrate to later figure out that their relationship was manager/employee and they were having their weekly one-on-one catch-up.

Is that how you conduct yourself in the workplace? If so, good luck moving up the career ladder.

It got me thinking about an incident from earlier this week. (Disclaimer: this is kind of gross) I've had a nasty cold for a week which went into my chest. When I have a coughing attack, gross things dislodge from somewhere deep in my lungs. And there's no way I am going to swallow that down.

So after one of my coughing fits, I rolled down the window and let it fly. The only problem is I was running an errand with my three boys. My four year-old rolled down his window and tried to spit out the window. As we like to say in Twitter-speak: #FAIL

It was with humility that I realized that my sons idolize me. I'm their hero. And I need to lead by example. I agree; teaching them to spit out the window is probably not a good idea. But what about the other areas of my life?

Do they watch me love and serve my wife unconditionally as Christ loves the Church?

Do they watch me read my Bible out of my desire to learn and grow in my faith walk?

Do they listen to me pray to Jesus without ceasing?

I do not model the lifestyle I want my boys to grow into. Do you?

We need to. Let's step it up.