It took me a LONG time to realize that there are no perfect people in the world. I guess I never really thought about it, but when the reality of it sank in for me, I was a bit depressed. Who would I pattern my life after?! I mean “Jesus” is the obvious answer, but who would I people-watch to learn how to follow Him?
I’ve found that I watch different people for different things. When it comes to wanting to learn how to be a good leader there is a particular short-list of people I watch. When it comes to being a good husband, there’s another handful. When it comes to being a good co-worker and socially in-check, another. A good friend. A good neighbor. A good listener. The list goes on.
The point is that I watch people to learn from them. I recognize their imperfections but also their value and strengths. It’s part of what I call “proactive teachability” – not just being willing to learn and grow, but actively seeking ways to do so.
As a matter of chat…
Do I watch the right people? How do I know? Are there people I’m looking over that I could be learning a lot from? Who is watching me? What are they learning? Would I be happy if the copied my life?
