Leading By Example

Don’t be too concerned that your children don’t listen to you. But be very concerned that they see everything you do.

-Truett Cathy

I often look at my sweet eleven year old son and think, "He's to good, God why did you choose me to be the mother of such and easy child?" Well I don't know the answer to that so I just thank God... A whole lot!


Over the weekend, we took my son to the movies and just like many times before, he an I got into the debate of bringing outside food into the theater. Let me be clear, it's my son who doesn't want to bring the outside food and drinks, but of course he's not the one paying, which I remind him of  each time. 
This time he points to the window where it clearly states, "No outside food or drink permitted." Then below, there's a flier that says the same thing along with, "If you bring outside food or drink you will be asked to leave the theater." So I tell him, "It says asked, not forced and it's not against the law. If I was dieting I can't eat theater food because the have NOTHING that is diet food or if I was diabetic I could not eat there food ether. So what about these types of people? Are they not allowed to enjoy food while they're watching a movie too?" Then these words came out of my eleven year old sons mouth... "Momma, I'm just leading by example." My heart was immediately convicted of my disobedience to the theaters rules and to how I was leading my son.  
I was not committing a great sin by breaking the commandments but I was reminded of the verse that says, "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 
I often hear quotes, read books about raising children, or hear one of our pastors saying how, "our children don't do as we say but do what we do," and this is a prime example of it. I told my son that I would never bring food into the theater again and thanked him for being a great example to me.
We never know who may be watching, especially those who look to us as examples of Christ. We will never be perfect, but at these times when the Lord pricks my heart with conviction, I ask myself, "What kind of example am I setting as a follower of Christ not just to my family but to everyone around me?"