We All Lead

Whether we realize it or not, we all lead. That is, all of us have someone who can be influenced by our actions. What we say and what we do as Christians is very important even in the most casual of circumstances. When interacting with other people in our everyday day lives we as Christians have a responsibility to conduct ourselves with good conscience in everything. This applies whether we are with other Christians or not. But it is particularly important that we set a good example for other Christians, especially those who are new to Christ. Paul warns us of the dangers we face in this area in 1Corinthians.

1Col 8:7-13

 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
 
But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?
 
And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.
 
Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
 
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (ESV)

Paul is not saying that we shouldn't eat meat but he is warning us that our actions can lead our brothers and sisters in Christ and that we therefore have a responsibility to conduct ourselves rightly in the presence of other believers. The best way to do this is, of course, is to always strive to be Christ-like and to always be aware that what we say and what we do can affect others. This is, for me at least, hard to do because I tend to get caught up in the many aspects of everyday living. 

To suddenly change the way I interact with people that I know intimately, the people that I work with, or even the people I casually know is a hard thing to do. I tend to fall into the old ways without realizing it. I have learned to slow down. To try to think about what I say and do before I say and do it. I have started to watch for and tag the things that lead me into the subtle traps so I can avoid them and hopefully present myself the way I know my Lord and Savior would want me to. I have to try very hard sometimes but I have found that it becomes easier everyday. 

I was fortunate and very blessed when, just last week, a co-worker casually took the Lord's name in vain and immediately regretted doing it. She looked at me apologetically and said, "Sorry." To which I replied, "Don't tell me, tell Him," as I pointed upward. She looked up and very sincerely said, "Sorry, God." A week ago, she was unaware that she even said that particular bad word so often and so casually. But because I strive to, and pray for, others to see God in me, its got her thinking. And that is a very good, first step in a positive direction for her. Praise God! 
All of us. Even the most lowly of sinners like me, lead. I very often pray that I lead in the right direction.