Someone is looking up to you
Published 11:41 am Tuesday, July 3, 2018
By John Warren
Years ago, I began my journey into ministry at a brand new church in Northwest Houston.
I was hired as the Summer Youth Director of The Foundry United Methodist Church in Jersey Village.
I actually worked there for three summers before I decided to move to Atlanta, in order to go to seminary.
Each summer I lived with a different family.
The first year I lived with a family from Canada. Ernie and Viola Pitchel had nine children, two boys and seven girls from college age down to junior high age.
Dinnertime often lasted from 7-10. Gathered around the table were stories of the day and life stories and lots of laughter. I literally felt like I was living in the Walton house! Donald was the youngest at 14 but I will always remember a devotion he wrote for our youth group. It was short and sweet, what you would expect from a 14-year-old boy. He spoke of his favorite football player who was a Christian and then he ended his devotion with a prayer. It went like this, “Thank you God that the people I look up to are looking up to you. Amen.”
My question I ask you is who do you look up to? Do you know who they are looking up to? And if you know is it someone you too would be willing to follow.
If not are you strong enough to influence the person you look up to, to instead look up to you? Friends truly do influence friends I used to say that is more so in our teens and 20s but I have come to the conclusion at my ripe old age that age has nothing to do with it.
You can choose to be the influencer or the influencee no matter your age.
It simply matters whether you are willing to put yourself out there or not. And if you know that people are looking up to you, do you take the high ground? Please do, you will find it more beneficial in the long run.
Researchers are saying that taking the low ground is contagious and it only escalates in more negative behavior.
Jesus tells us to treat others in the way that we would want to be treated.
That is truly the coarse to take. God Bless.
John Warren is Senior Pastor at First United Methodist Church, 502 North 6th Street in Orange.
