Your Karma Is Leaking

Thinking about modeling, and being an example... It's really who I am before the Lord first, and then man. It's about how one conducts his life in both arenas. 

It's more about internals than externals. Believe it or not it's more about our attitude than our actions. Our actions, to some extent reflect our attitudes.(you can't judge a book by it's cover, but as you read a book you discover hidden treasures). Our words (more realistically what's mixed with our words, sarcasm, boredom, impatience, frustration, anger) reveal our hearts. 

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart. Jesus

Ideally, internal grace, love and mercy will be reflected by our words and our actions, if we are truly people of grace, love and mercy. The truth: We reflect are who we really are. 

If we are angry, we will leak _____________. If we are discontent, we will leak _________________. If we are frustrated, we will leak ______________. If we have a competitive spirit. we will leak ________________. If we are proud and self centered, we will leak ____________________.

If we are positive, we will leak ___________. If we are loving, we will leak __________. If we are graceful, we will leak _______________. If we are merciful, we will leak _______________. If we are forgiving, we will leak ___________________.

I think this is why Phil 2 was written... Paul writing says, Let this attitude be in you... He goes on to describe the attitude (humility) and how the action of the attitude should be revealed.

Truly understanding grace, should make us more graceful and reflect to others gracefulness. Truly understanding the love and mercy of God should cause us to be in awe of who He is and reflect to others what we have gracefully received.

Paul wrote,
So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that (how) we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 

Out of the interior life of the leader flows a certain kind of aura, ethos and culture. I call this the leadership “leak.” It is the leak from the leader and leadership team that creates what we call ethos or organizational culture. What is going on inside us automatically flows out. 

Ron Martoia,  Morph! The Texture of Leadership for Tomorrow’s Church 

I read the book Morph! a few years ago... I do know all leaders leak. They leak good things, and they leak bad things. The leaders goal should be to consistently leak good things, and to create a positive, uplifting, inclusive atmosphere / environment where encouragement and faith can dwell.

The challenge of every leader is to slow down... to evaluate ourselves honestly... to take a risk and ask our self the questions, What am I really leaking? Do I build up? or Do I tear down? Am I positive? or Am I negative? Am I patient? or Am I impatient? Am I full of grace? or Do I lack grace? Am I engaged? or Am I unengaged? Being self aware is a good place to start.

A good prayer to pray... Lord show me what am I leaking?

Sometimes I am aware, other times I'm not aware. This is why I need a good wife, honest friends(ask a friend, what am I leaking?) and time before the Lord. 

I like Paul's list of positive leaks... It's called the fruit of the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.