Somebody’s Watching…

Money with little eyes and a song from 1984 have been skillfully combined to form one of the most annoying commercials known to mankind at this time (second only to the McDonalds Filet of Fish commercial). The song, if you didn’t know, says, “I always feel like somebody’s watching me.” Ever felt like that?

Ok, let’s be honest. It doesn’t matter if you feel like that, does it? It’s true. No matter where you go, there are eyes. Somebody sees you, observes you, watches you. Many times, we don’t realize it, and are oblivious to how our actions are being perceived by others. As a dad, I have been reminded time and time again of the “little eyes” that follow me, and copy me. (Unfortunately, those “little eyes” tend to copy all of my bad habits, and few of my good ones. That could be because of the huge ratio of bad to good habits I have!) It was those “little eyes” that taught me a lesson yesterday, that, quite frankly, I wish all of us understood.

I was supremely disappointed yesterday when my oldest child told me of a reaction that he witnessed from someone at church. He heard the words, quoted them back to me, saw the face and attitude, and my heart broke. My heart broke for 2 reasons.

First, my son saw someone in our church, someone that he should be looking up to, acting in a not-so-Christ-like manner. I wish we all understood how much influence we have on the “little eyes” that surround us each Sunday. I wish we all understood that they take their cues from us. I wish we would just be Christ-like.

Second, because once I started thinking about that, I realized that more times than not, I am the one that is acting foolish and un-Christ-like around him. I allow my attitudes, my emotions, my selfishness to get in the way of communicating to him what matters most. By him observing my actions and reactions, I am teaching him, molding him, forming him into the man that he will become, because he is watching. I need to be reminded of my influence in his life, and that he is taking his cues from me. I need to be more Christ-like. It’s a huge hypocrisy in my own life to be angry at someone for acting this way at church when I turn around and act this way at home.

So, next time the money with little eyes shows up on your television, by all means, change the channel, but remember the “little eyes” that are watching you.