I Was Watching
“I was watching.”
Those were the central words proclaimed by my brother-in-law this week as he eulogized his mother. He shared how his mom had left him an inheritance far more meaningful than money or possessions, and that when she, along with his dad, had consistently and faithfully prioritized service to those around him, it had left its mark on him. It had been a lesson more caught than taught, and it is one he will continue to lean on for a lifetime.
Two questions come to mind, and I invite you to ask them in light of your own life today:
1) Who are you watching, and what do you see?
2) Who is watching you, and what do they see?
First, who are you watching? Ideally, you have a parent or parents who—like my mother-in-law—have modeled a walk with Jesus for you. If so, treasure that! Walk in their example and build upon the imperfect-yet-yielded example of that inheritance! What a gift! But if not, find someone whose life you can watch and draft behind! Decline to be saddled with the mistakes of those who have gone before you. Set your eyes upon that which should be emulated and embodied!
Next, who is watching you? There is a good chance you are tempted to say, “Nobody.” Many of us assume that nobody is modeling their life after our example. But that assumption is wrong. Much like my brother-in-law shared about his mom, someone is watching you, and they are learning—for good or for ill—how to comport themselves and how to interact with the world.
Who is watching you? What do they currently see, and perhaps more to the point, what can you do today to ensure what they see on a consistent basis is a life that points back to the One through whom we are all invited to the Father (Jn. 14:6)?
This is anything but a burdensome endeavor! What liberating purpose to realize your life can be built on the firm foundations of the faithful around you, and then in turn offered as support to the next generation of those who will advance the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Glory!
As you walk with this measure of humility and teachability, you will in turn be leading a life about which others, when eulogizing you, will say, “I was watching!”
The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.