Question of the Week: Admiration

Whom do you admire most? In what way does that person inspire you?

I've got to think about this. There are a lot of people that I know whom I admire in a lot of different ways. And for my answer, I can't just say one person. I've got to say two.

Kevin and Nicole Greene. And it's not because they feed me or let me do laundry or let me stay at their house whenever a tropical storm threatens the Triangle. It's because they don't put up a front when it comes to their lives. Maybe it's because I've grown close to the family and I see them through different eyes than other people. But as far as I can tell, they're real with everyone. They're not perfect by any means, but they don't pretend to be either.

Growing up, I've known a lot of families that sort of wear a mask to hide the turmoil going on behind the scenes. Even my own family was that way. Scratch the surface of most families in our churches and you'll see a lot of pain that folks try their best to hide. To me, the Greenes just aren't that way.

It's not as if they air their dirty laundry for all the world to see. But they do make it clear that marriage, family, and just life, is a lot of hard work. They're the kind of people who realize that marriage and family aren't just about love, but they're about commitment. They don't live under the illusion that one day they'll achieve a perfect life, because that's something that's unattainable. But they do strive for Christ-likeness in their home.



It's possible that someday, I'll be married. And, theoretically I'll have a family at some point. And when it's all over, if I can look back and say that I tried to do it with that much integrity, then I'll be pleased.

*Question of the Week comes from The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, Ph.D.