For the record, one of the regular parts of what I’m going to try to write about are little lessons I’ve learned along the way.
This semester I have the fortune of having an intern, and every week we sit down for what I call “incoherent ramblings”. Often these are going to be more about things I’ve learned along the way instead of current lessons I’m learning.
Today, our incoherent rambling centers on the people who speak into our life.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. – Proverbs 27:6
When I was in Seminary, we had a guest lecturer come into a class and share the following advice: Every minister needs three people in their life. First, they need a Paul–someone to mentor them. Second, they need a Timothy–someone they mentor. Last, they need a Barnabas–someone walking alongside and encouraging them.
While that advice has proven true, and would undoubtedly provide a great subject for a blog post, I have learned over the years we need to be selective about who we let speak into our lives.
Surround yourself with people who never challenge you to grow, or who never see something in you which you cannot see, and you will never improve.
Surround yourself with people who are incapable of understanding your situation, and the advice they give will never help.
Surround yourself with people who only see negatives and wrongs, and you will begin to see things through their perspective.
Surround yourself with people who have an agenda, and you will simply become a means to an end.
There is another option. As we learn to guard who speaks into our lives, something begins to happen: we are able to realize when someone is using us for position or authority. We begin to see when someone is looking out for themselves, and not for us. We begin to understand there may be more motivation behind an action than we realized.
But, when we surround ourselves with the right people who speak the right things into our lives, the difference is clear.
Surround yourself with people who care about you growing into the best minster/leader/parent you can be, and you will begin to grow.
Surround yourself with people who fix their eyes on Christ and not on the problems surrounding you, and you will begin to do the same.
Surround yourself with people who have a heart for serving, and you will begin to have a heart for serving.
I have men and women in my life who make a greater impact than they will ever know. They encourage me, they correct me, they guide me, and they even tell me things I do not want to hear, but I know their words can be trusted.
Learn to be selective about who gets to speak into your life.
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