I've used the phrase “see what I’m saying” on many different occasions in my life.  It had always been a question to find out if you understood what I meant.  Recently I started thinking of the phrase a little differently.  You've heard the old saying; “actions speak louder than words”, right?  In other words, no one cares about what you are saying if you're not living what you say.  I goal is to be seen doing, long before I am ever heard saying.  Growing up in leadership, I was always taught; "never ask someone to do anything you aren't doing or willing to do yourself".  How can I ask you to serve and care about people if I do not serve or care about people myself?  Leaders not only lead with the words they say, but more importantly they lead by the example they set.

     1 Corinthians 11:1 says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”.  Example means; be illustrated or exemplified.  If you study the original meaning of this verse, it was saying, in basic terms, mimic me or do what I do.  It does not mean do what I say!  Do what I am doing as I do what Christ did.  How amazing would this world be if we all lived the way Jesus lived and did what Jesus did?  I want to be a great example for anyone to follow.  I want to be a person whose words are a direct reflection of what he is living.  Repeatedly people are turned away from the good news that is Jesus Christ because the well meaning Christian folks they are around, are not living out what they talk about.  Even though we are ALL on a journey and in process, becoming more like Jesus daily, the world sees hypocrites.  I think that leaves us with one of two choices, to live what we say or say nothing all!  I will not choose silence!  So I must be better at living what I say!  

     From now on when I use the phrase, “see what I’m saying”, I will be reminded that I am called to imitated Jesus Christ.  I'm not called to live by my own standards.  I'm not called to create my own convictions.  I'm not called to decide my own morals even.  I am called to live the way Jesus lived and do what he did and more.  I know it's not easy and I know I will make mistakes, but I am choosing the pursuit of mimicking Jesus.  I want to be an example to others of how to follow Christ.  I want to always be a person people can be ok with imitating because when it comes down to it, if you imitate me you're just going to be imitating Christ.