The award of greatest mentor on earth is hands down going to my Dad. Seriously, I have been so beyond blessed to have him not only as a dad, but as a best friend and a mentor. I am so fortunate to be able to learn under him. I have dozens upon dozens of reasons why, and then some more on top of that to boot. For example, I'll share the latest lesson I learned from him just this past week.
For those who did not hear or see on the T.V. or newspaper there was a fire a few weeks ago in the neighborhood of Citadel where five houses burnt completely to the ground. The church my dad works at, Foothills Alliance Church (FAC), responded to this situation by giving financial aid, love and support to all the families affected to help (though in a situation like that, nothing can adequately compensate for the intense lossthose individuals are in) but FAC tried their best to help wherever they may. The owners of these houses had never come to Foothills before, but as my Dad said several times throughout that weekend's service, we care for our neighbours because that is what our church is about, loving those around us.
Anyways after the weekend service where Foothills said they would do whatever they could to help these people, CBC news heard what we were doing and wanted to interview someone at Foothills about what we were doing. It was Monday, my Dad's day off, and my Dad as the lead pastor was probably the best person to interview about it, but my Dad asked James, the associate lead pastor (and he's a beyond amazing man too!) to do the interview.
OKAY, here is the lesson I learned from Poppa Trigg. And first, I feel I should write, it's not wrong to be on T.V. at all. It's the lesson behind the story that I was impressed and taught by. I know for me, if I had the chance to be interviewed about something on a national broadcasting channel about something a church I worked for did to respond to a situation I would be so excited and jump at the opportunity! I could even attempt to justify it by saying I am being a visible face of the church loving those around us... but the truth is that it would likely be out of a hidden agenda, one of selfish ambition and perhaps conceit. So what did I learn?
1) I asked my Dad why he didn't want to go in for the interview and he said "you know when I was younger I would think that is a pretty incredible chance, but now I have realized there is more to it than that." He taught me that there is more than being a face in the media, that the point of ministry is not to be seen in the public spotlight and "popular." The point is to humbly serve, to love those around us not for attention but out of legitimate and authentic love for those around us. That we do not do things to be seen (sounds like the Pharisee's, in fact ironically enough right after this incident I read Matthew 23:5-7 and realized just how much my Dad was not about that.)
2) Instead of being interviewed, he decided to stay at home cleaning the house for my mom (her love language is gifts of service, cleaning the house is the way for my Dad to tell her he loves her). He chose to hang out with Zakk (my brother) and myself while cleaning the house. He taught me that though there are cool opportunities, know the real importance in your life. He exhibited in an obvious way his love for his family.
3) He showed me how to say no. The reality is there are so many 'cool' things to do, lots of things that would be fun, but we need to say no to things so that we may do the things that are more important. I am a people pleaser, I have a hard time saying no, but he showed me that it is okay to say no, and that we should say no, to the things that are important.
4) The most important thing I can ever do is just be faithful, obedient, humble, and be in a passionate pursuit of Jesus and the life that God has planned for me. I need not search out the 'cool' spotlight of fame and glory. It is all about being an invisible messenger of God, so that HE is FULLY visible.
5) I am so lucky to have him as a mentor and example in life.
Blessings friends :)
-kyle.trigg
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