So it happens everytime I meet someone new.  Well at least at Church.  Actually it never seems to happen in public. At Church and especially school people want to call me Mr. Wilson.  My normal response to this is turn around and look for my father. (Actually I look for my grandpa but since he is with Jesus I assume they must be talking about my Dad)  You see I really do want you and your children to call me Steve. In fact to the students who have known me best it is often Steve-OOOOOOOOOOO in a very loud voice…but I digress. I have a reason I want to be called Steve and not Mr. Wilson. By the way it has nothing to do with not wanting to be old.

So why do I do it?  The reason I want to be called Steve is because I want to have a different relationship with you that Mr. Wilson can’t. I do it because I want to have a relationship like Jesus did with his disciples.  I want you to have a relationship with me that goes beyond authority figure or someone you can’t talk with. No I am not your best friend but I am also not your authoritative principal. I want you to know I care for you. I want your child to know I care for them.  I never want them to be scared to come to me and ask the most ridiculous question in the world or tell me their deepest darkest secret.  I want them to know we are walking as disciples together.  We are equals in faith and by calling me Steve I think it shows we are on an equal plain and able to talk with.

I know many parents who teach there children to call adults by Mr. or Mrs. as a sign of respect.  I do it for my own kids but here is the thing.  I believe it is respectful for you and your children to call me Steve because I have told you to do it. So please don’t get mad at Jimmy or Jenny for calling me Steve. I told them to.  I wanted to be in relationship as fellow disciples.  I have never heard of Jesus telling people to call him Mr. Jesus in fact he seemed to go out of his way to get them to call Him Jesus.

Disclaimer: This is not a post about anyone. This is my thing.  If you want to be called Mr. Blah by all means do that.  I am not trying to call others to do the same…Well I guess I am but not with the Mr. or Mrs. thing just the be in relationship with each other thing, sharing Jesus.