I love the movie Scent of a Woman. It has one of my favorite speeches from a movie in it. Here are a few lines from it that I’d like to expound on:

“I’ve been around you know, there was a time I could see. And I have seen boys like these, younger these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off, but there is nothing like the site of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. You think you’re merely sending this splendid foot solider back to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say, you are executing his soul . . . Makers of men, creators of leaders, be careful what kind of leaders you’re producing here.”

Have you ever had an amputated spirit due to someone else tearing you down? Has someone ever spoken things to you that have stuck with you for weeks, months, or even years? Have you ever had a leader that you respect tear you down?

How about the opposite? Has you life ever been lifted because of a leader? Have you ever been built up by a leader that you’ve had in your life?

So many people’s lives have been shaped and formed by what the leaders that were in their life when they were young have spoken over them. Parents, teachers, youth pastors, aunts, uncles, you name it. They all have a part in creating who we end up becoming.

The point of this post is to make us realize how important our roles are as leaders and how vital it is that we handle our influence responsibly.

We’re all leaders in one way, shape, or form. We all have influence over someone. As leaders, everyday we have the opportunity to either lift people’s lives or tear them down. We have the opportunity to shape and to mold everyone we come in contact with and have influence over. We can either help someone with our influence, or execute them. Everyday we have the opportunity to either amputate someone’s soul or to be a prosthetic for them.

“Creators of Leaders, Be Careful What kind of Leaders You’re Producing“

What kind of leaders are you producing through your words and your influence?

On Wednesday I turned 26! Life is going way too fast! I thought I’d just share a few reflections from my life at 26!

At 26 My Priorities are Changing - I just got engaged, started a new job, and I am helping plant a church and lead a youth ministry. My priorities must be clear and focused, if  not, I’ll burn out and make everyone around me miserable!

At 26 I’m Becoming More Focused - I am pursuing fewer things, but pursuing those things with more focus.

At 26 I’m Recognizing the Importance of Family - Every year family becomes more and more important to me. Next to God, family is the most important thing in my life. I’m making that a priority.

At 26, I’m More in Love with Laura than I’ve ever Been – We’ve been dating for nearly 10 years, and I love her more than I ever have.

At 26, I’m excited to Lead – I’ve never led at the level I get to lead in my life right now. I get to lead my future spouse, I get to lead a youth ministry, I get to lead 1,000+ volunteers at my new job! I’m excited to learn what it takes to lead at this level so I can go to another one in a few years!

At 26, I’m Trying to Turn it All Over to God - I don’t want it to be 60% Bubba and 40% God. I feel as though I’ve spent most of my twenties trying to pave my own way. I’m done with that. I want it to be all God and none of me!

At 26 I’m Maturing – I’ve heard that maturity is the ability to have a dollar and not spend it, to have something to say and not say it, to want to do something and not to it, and to want something to eat and not eat it! In other words, maturity is the ability to take on responsibility. It’s becoming easier and easier for me to mature as I set priorities.

At 26 I’m Realizing That I Need to Choose the Friendships I want to Fight For - I can’t be close friends with everyone, although I’d love to be. I need to choose which friendships I’m willing to fight for and put everything I can into them.

At 26 I’m Realizing I Can Only Pour into a Few - I can’t spend intimate time investing in everyone I want to. I must become purposeful about who I spend my time and energy investing in, but if I do my job, I’ll invest in those who invest in others!

At 26 a Healthy Life Style is Important - Exercise and Eating right have become extremely important to me.

At 26, The Possibilities are Endless – At 26, I’m dreaming bigger than I’ve ever dreamed. I’m realizing that the entire world is open to me and I can go anywhere and do anything! This is only the beginning!

What are some reflections you’ve had at your current age? What are you learning about life?

“Always be leading something” -Bill Hybels

Monday night I went to watch one of my boys, Matt Emge’s playoff baseball game. One thing really stood out to me about Matt. He is a leader. He set the tone for his team, he encouraged his team, he confronted his team. His team is better because he is on it.

The thing I enjoyed most about Matt is the fact that he is a Jr. in High School and he is taking initiative to lead something.

The best way to learn to lead is to always be leading something. There are no perfect leaders and I believe the best leaders are the best leaders because they’ve taken the initiative to lead wherever they are. They have learned to lead.

I always have to remind myself that I may not be the leader I want to be yet, but I’m a better leader today than I was yesterday, and if I’ll keep leading and learning, one day I’ll be the leader I want to be.

I want to encourage you to make the decision to lead something today. Start a bible study, lead a small group, start a network, head up a ministry, join an organization and strive to become a leader there, ask a leader or boss in your life if there is something you can lead, always lead by example.

You may not lead perfectly, you may make a million mistakes, but the fact remains that you are learning to lead. If you will keep leading something in every stage of your life, eventually you’ll become a great leader.

What are you leading right now? What potential opportunities do you have to lead?