tonight, at kinetic:ct, i learned about being a leader (specifically in the church, but i think a lot of it applied to life in general).

1. be beyond reproach - own your flaws. be honest about them & guarded against them.

2. be apt to teach - both able to teach & teachable. it can happen at anytime. be open to it.

3. be hospitable - love strangers. welcome people into your life and care for them.

these are good church rules (because the church is the pillar & support of truth and the physical example of christianity to non-christians). they are also good work rules (because it means you are approachable & develop-able). most importantly, i think, they are good life rules (because no one cares what you know until they know that you care).

and it's hard. i hate being wrong or feeling guilt. learning new things is sometimes difficult and overwhelming and i hate asking for help. plus, i'm really self conscious and introverted (i swear) so meeting and getting to know new people scares the crap out of me and takes time.

but when you can overcome your fears and live by these rules, then you open yourself up to growth. and from growth comes new relationships & opportunities. and from those you can foster growth in the lives of other people. and i think that's where beauty happens... don't you?