Revolutionary Leaders

Faith Prints

Faith Prints are like finger prints. Everyone has them and we leave them everywhere we go and we put them on everything we touch. Faith Prints are the IMPRESSIONS that we leave on others.

A few good examples from the Bible could be Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in John chapter 4, and Peter's encounter with the lame man in Acts chapter 3. They both left an impression on those they encountered. The impression they left was that of value, worth, acceptance and hope.

What kind of Faith Prints do you leave behind? The people that we really influence everyday can be placed into one of two categories; family or friends. What does the Bible say about the impressions we leave on them?

FAMILY
The biggest Faith Print we leave in our family comes from the ten commandments. "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12). Showing honor, respect, obedience and submission to you parental units is huge! This would include taking care of your chores, doing your best in school, striving to make them proud, and even treating your siblings with respect.

FRIENDS
Besides family, you are the biggest influencer in the lives of your friends. A great way to leave a positive Faith Print is to display true humilty. Philippians 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility treat others better than yourselves." That's not always easy. We are so accustomed to our "me, me, me" lifestyle, that we usually get bent out of shape when someone steps in our way. However, Galatians 5:13 also says that we are to "serve one another in love." That means we are to look to help others before we help ourselves.

There are, of course, other things that we need to be doing to ensure that we are leaving Faith Prints on others. We need to be praying for them - talk to God about your friends and family before you talk to your friends and family about God. Let them know that your praying for them. In fact, pray for them in person, face-to-face!

We also need to practice active listening. Give them oportunity to share what's on their heart and mind. Remember, it's not about YOU. Practice random acts of kindness. Don't wait for a holiday or birthday to send a card or buy them a little gift. Speek words of encouragement and afirmation. Show them their value! Last, but not least, share your faith!