Piggyback Emotions

I have observed a phenomenon in the last week that I'm wondering whether or not would play out in other areas of our lives. What is it? In the last week co-workers, friends, family and even the man in the mirror have watched their sports teams succeed and fail on the athletic field. Packer friends are presently in dismay and Viking friends blinded by the delusion that 4 wins equal a super bowl drive-and that's one day after a game.  A year ago, my favorite college team-the Michigan Wolverines, experienced their first losing season in my entire lifetime. In each of these scenarios emotions follow or piggyback the fortunes of their team.

How many kids live without hope simply because they live in a house where their parent(s) have difficulty finding or keeping a job? How many youth pastors are negative and lack hope for their life and ministry because they're on staff at a church where the dominant performance and emotion is failure?

The opposite could also be true: growing up in a home with parents who are positive generates confidence in their children. In my own life, my Dad's eternal optimism and support in spite of difficult circumstances has translated into a life-long confidence about my own future.  I have also watched youth pastors, who are on staff in a growing church, borrow the "mother ship"  predisposition toward positivity and growth.

 The bottom line? I think we should be careful to monitor our own piggyback emotions. Where are you getting your emotional strength from? What are you doing to stay on the path without "following the crowd" around you?  Additionally, we need to be cognizant of the emotional impact of our leadership on the people we lead.  Does the culture you're responsible for empower the people you lead to leap with confidence into their future? Your family?  If you're a leader, chances are-you're creating piggyback moments whether you want to or not.