Don’t be a poop truck to those who follow

A few years ago, we loaded the kids up in the Tahoe for a family vacation.  Our trip took us through a lot of narrow two-lane country roads.  Half-way through the drive, our nostrils were assaulted by the most offensive odor ever!  The first instinct was to blame one of the kids, but we realized right away that it was coming from a large dump truck in front of us.

This truck was going well below the speed limit and we soon found ourselves on his bumper trying to pass.  The smell got worse as brown liquid waste started spraying out from the top of the dump truck.  Our vehicle started to get coated with a sludge that looked as though it would need a HAZMAT cleanup.  I was praying that I had enough windshield wiper fluid to keep visibility as it started to drizzle just enough to make this mess completely cover the car without washing it off!

The screams and moans from the nasty smell coming from everyone of us was continuous as every attempt to pass this joker failed because of oncoming traffic.  It got so bad that we started to cry from pain and helpless laughter.

After about twenty minutes of slowing down and speeding up and trying anything we could to get around this mess, we caught a break!  I nailed the gas pedal to the floor and passed with great relief and joy.

If you are a leader, and you have a bad attitude, you’re like that poop truck – NO ONE wants to follow you!  We need to be very careful about how we portray ourselves to others around us everyday.

People may hear your words, but they feel your Attitude.  People will not always remember what you said.  They will not always remember what you did.  But they will always remember how you made them feel.  ~John C. Maxwell

So I’ve listed a couple of things that I need to always remember as I go through my day.  Keeping these in mind will help keep a healthy attitude about life:

1. Give your first to God first. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” ~Jesus (Matthew 6:33)
2. Keep close communication with those that are close to you.  When communication breaks down, attitudes break down.
3. Remember how important today is.  Focus on today! “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” ~Jesus (Matthew 6:34)
4. Walking into a room, be a “there you are” person and not a “here I am” person. Are you more concerned about others noticing you, or are you intentional about noticing others?
5. Remember that everyone has story.  Make allowances for others.  “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” ~Paul (Romans 15:7)