We just completed a week of Vacation Bible School at our church and what a wonderful week it was.
While the children that attend our church know me, it usually takes the visiting children a day or two to come out of their shells when they are around me.
Such was not the case this year.
Even the youngest of the visiting children seemed to feel comfortable around me and for that I am truly grateful to God.
It reminded me of a time years ago when I watched an interview on television with a very famous athlete and a reporter asked him how he felt about being a role model.
This athlete responded by saying that he was not a role model because he was not paid to be a role model.
I disagreed with his position.
When it comes to children, every adult they encounter along the way is a role model.
The only choice adults have in the matter is whether we will be positive role models or negative ones.
There is a quote attributed to Austin L. Sorenson that goes, "Children are not likely to find a father in God unless they find something of God in their fathers."
I will not dispute that.
I am also willing to extend that thought to include men in general including me.
One of the things I want to be in life is a good male role model for children.
It does not matter to me whether they are the children in the church I attend who see me every week, or children that attend our Vacation Bible School whom I see once a year or the children who see me when I am out and about in public.
There are two ways that we can teach children.
We can teach them with our words.
We can also teach them by our example.
Teaching by example is one of the most effective means of teaching because children are watching us very closely to see if we practice what we teach.
There is also another very important reason why I want to be a positive male role model for children.
Matthew 19:14 (NET) - But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Children are special to Jesus.
Because they are special to Him they are also special to me.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
While the children that attend our church know me, it usually takes the visiting children a day or two to come out of their shells when they are around me.
Such was not the case this year.
Even the youngest of the visiting children seemed to feel comfortable around me and for that I am truly grateful to God.
It reminded me of a time years ago when I watched an interview on television with a very famous athlete and a reporter asked him how he felt about being a role model.
This athlete responded by saying that he was not a role model because he was not paid to be a role model.
I disagreed with his position.
When it comes to children, every adult they encounter along the way is a role model.
The only choice adults have in the matter is whether we will be positive role models or negative ones.
There is a quote attributed to Austin L. Sorenson that goes, "Children are not likely to find a father in God unless they find something of God in their fathers."
I will not dispute that.
I am also willing to extend that thought to include men in general including me.
One of the things I want to be in life is a good male role model for children.
It does not matter to me whether they are the children in the church I attend who see me every week, or children that attend our Vacation Bible School whom I see once a year or the children who see me when I am out and about in public.
There are two ways that we can teach children.
We can teach them with our words.
We can also teach them by our example.
Teaching by example is one of the most effective means of teaching because children are watching us very closely to see if we practice what we teach.
There is also another very important reason why I want to be a positive male role model for children.
Matthew 19:14 (NET) - But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Children are special to Jesus.
Because they are special to Him they are also special to me.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
