I hope you have taken some time since last week's blog to chew on the challenge from Dan Webster's book entitled, Increasing Your Personal Impact. Webster discussed in chapter 5 the concept of being a model for others. His challenges are strong, reminding us of the pressures associated with (in essence) "living in a fishbowl", and how very few (if any) individuals are comfortable in doing so. He challenges us to keep in mind if we are to make a deep and lasting impact, actions, attitudes, and other areas will be exposed to those who are looking. How humbling, realizing that left to ourselves, we will fail every time. Our only hope is for Christ to shine through us as we follow Him.

Webster concludes the writing portion of his chapter with the following on pg. 64:

"Living a life that speaks impacts people around us. Doing this is not about faking perfection or pretending to be better than we are. We are repelled by those who communicate a holier-than-thou attitude. The challenge before us is to live a life of integrity. Integrity is about living one life, not two. It's bringing how we live more and more in line with what we say and believe." 

In light of the above paragraph, Webster reminds us of the need to regularly investigate our lives, and to honestly assess if we are demonstrating integrity in the following four areas: family, at work or school, faith, and friendships.

We are all works in progress, and are continually being refined into the men/women God has called us to be. Not one of us can say that we are "there" yet, and none of us will reach that point on this planet. What a wonderful reminder of God's love, grace, and mercy toward us in spite of ourselves. May we all continually strive to live out Luke 9:23: "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."