4 ways to live your life

As I look at my son I wonder what kind of man he is going to grow up to be. While he can't even keep his neck from moving all over the place in a crazy seizure-like motion, I my mind still thinks about where he is going to be in 20 years as people tell me "they grow up so fast." (At 4am when I am dodging his urine while trying to change his diaper I am all right with him growing up fast at this point.)

The other day I heard a sermon by Mark Driscoll illustrating the way Jesus lead His life-intentionally. Driscoll went on to point out the 4 ways to live your life based on the book "Leading on Empty" by Wayne Cordiero. Cordiero writes that there are 4 ways that you can live your life:
1) Reaction
2) Conformity
3) Independently
4) Intentionally

1. Reaction – You see a need and you just go for it. All of the opportunities that keep coming at you, you keep going for them and in the end you are spread thin, burn out, and thus are unproductive.

2. Conformity – You are a people pleaser trying to cater to everyone’s needs. Living your life this way you will burn out and probably become bitter for all of the sacrifices you have made for others with minimal results. Why marginal results? Because you are not sacrificing, you are compromising.

3. Independence – You are your own boss making your own decisions and not listening to anyone, including those who want to provide important advice or your followers. As you go solo you are going to be leading only yourself as you become embittered that the problem is everyone else which causes your followers to leave your mission.

4. Intentionality – This is how Jesus lived His life. He did not react to every opportunity before Him as He would take care of His own needs by leaving the various cities to get away into the mountains. He did not listen to all of the people telling Him what to do or not to do as He stood for the truth leading to the religious leaders hating Him. He did not forsake His people even though they made several mistakes as He brought them along slowly without losing focus of His goal of turning people to God. This goal was woven throughout His whole life in everything He did as Jesus was focused and intentional and He still has people following Him 2000 years later.

How are you living your life?

A pic of Titus and I bonding, that guy can nap just like his old man. I'm so proud.