Don't step in the Poop!

     My dad tells a hilarious story of when he was a kid walking in the woods with his father (my grandpa.)  Dad was intently following in my grandpa's fresh footprints when they came along a fresh pile of Cow manure!  Grandpa quickly sidestepped it, but neglected to alert my dad to the impending danger.  Dad then hit the pile of Cow manure and slid into it up to his elbows!  Needless to say my dad was infuriated at my grandpa's neglect in pointing out the potential disaster.
     As I think about this story, I think about how much trouble a quick statement such as "Watch out!  Don't step in the poop!" would have saved my father.  I was recently hanging out with a young man and having a conversation about his family.  He told me about his brother becoming a father outside of marriage and the intense emotional problems he was facing.  He also told me that his sister was going to move in with her boyfriend.  These are kids who were raised in church and was a family that I care deeply about, so I was troubled to hear what they were going through.  I began questioning the young man about what he was learning from his older sibling's example.  His final comment in our conversation troubled me.  "I have a lot of examples of what not to do, but not too many of what I should do."
     I was reading in Titus this morning "I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives."  First of all, I long to be like Paul to this young man and "teach him to know the truth that shows him how to live a godly life."  Secondly, I know this young man's parents desire for their son to live a godly life.  But I get so frustrated at the crap the enemy throws in the path of families.  And unfortunately it can be difficult to see at times.
    I so badly wanted to say to this young man, "Don't step in the poop!"  The answer is so simple.  The lesson you can learn from your brother and sister is clear: "Follow God's plan, save sex for marriage."
    So my simple challenge to you today is "Who is following in your footsteps?"  Who is following your example, and is it an example worth following?  Do you have someone in your life that you are teaching to know the truth and showing them how to live a godly life?  I am following Christ today not because I went to church and heard enough sermon's and Sunday school lessons.  I am following Christ because of my parents and many other role models who lived out their faith in front of me.  I followed their example and many times they had to have the guts to say, "Watch out!  Don't step in the poop!"