Reflections on the day

Today is my sister's tenth birthday. The ten years that separate our births seem like such a long time, but that time shrinks every year as we both grow up and mature. She is turning into such a beautiful young lady, talented, sweet, ambitious, helpful and so much more. She is not very much like me. She has dark brown hair and sparkling blue eyes, I have blonde hair and brown eyes. She dances, I have no grace. She sings, I have no rhythm and change keys. She has three older siblings, I am the oldest of six. She is growing up in a whole different world than I did. From terrorist attacks, to abortion and homosexual marriage, this world is much changed since my younger days. She will know things at an earlier age than I did. Part of that is because she listens when mom and I talk about things going on worldwide. I have noticed that more and more each time I go home on break. She follows me - a lot! When I read, she reads (though she isn't an avid reader as I am). When I knit, she picks up her crochet hook and commences discussing the hardships of choosing colors, fixing mistakes, and finishing projects. I go to our bedroom to fold laundry, read, whatever, and she wants to sit on her bed and chat with me. I have found myself extremely aggravated because sometimes I wanted to be left alone. But I realized something very important over Christmas break. She looks to me for a pattern of living. She is, subconsciously most times, imitating me! While it is natural, and I realize the importance of it, it is scary. She sees everything I do. I often don't realize the impact of an action until she copies it. I disciple a couple girls, and I know that they too are imitators of me because they are trusting me to imitate Christ. As daunting as that task is, it is somehow less scary than my sister following me. Perhaps it is because she sees me in a more relaxed setting than the girls I disciple. Maybe it is because she is copying my actions, not just receiving Biblical counsel. Ultimately, I think that has multiple main reasons. She is my sister and I want her to grow up to be a godly woman, with a strong habit of good. However, in copying me, she imitates the bad as well as the good. Also, she is younger and as a result, the actions she is watching and duplicating have spiritual connotations that she might not recognize, but are cementing in her mind concepts that she will hold for life. What a convicting thought! It has made me so much more aware of my words, actions, attitudes, reactions. Lord, help me to be a good example to this young life you have entrusted to me to influence.