Walk the Talk
Theme of the Week: What Model Are You?
Bob Jacks
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
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Key Bible Verse: Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing (Philippians 4:9). Bonus Reading: Nehemiah 5:14—18
My partner, Ted Crew, and I ran a truck stop. Part of the corporate structure included an award program that identified excellence in five areas of truck-stop management on an annual basis.
When we first earned the award, it set a standard for the managers and staff to uphold. But I quickly realized that talking about the standard would never be inspiring enough. If I counseled on doing the right thing instead of the convenient thing, I needed to be sure to practice the same behavior.
I needed to model my high expectations by doing the dirtiest, low-down job at the place. Swishing the toilets? No. Scrubbing the grills? No. Washing the windows. No.
My personal pet peeve and all-time grunt job on the premises was picking up cigarette butts. Yet every time I spotted one on our sidewalks or in the halls, I kneeled down and gingerly removed it. Why? If I do it, our managers will do it. If they do it, the staff will do it. People imitate their leaders. That is why Jesus Christ and the first-century church leaders concentrated so much of their time and energy on winning people for the Lord and making disciples.
—Bob Jacks in Divine Appointments
My Response: What inconvenient action do I need to model?
Thought to Apply: Nothing is so contagious as an example. We never do great good or evil without inciting more of the same in others.
—Francois de la Rochefoucald
Adapted from Divine Appointments (NavPress, 2002) by permission.
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