In the book “Becoming a Person of Influence”, Dr. John C. Maxwell and Jim Dornan note, “People rise and fall to meet (a leader’s) level of expectations for them … If you believe in them … they will go the extra mile trying to do their best.” In other words, a leader’s expectations affect his or her followers’ behavior. I’ve learned that our expectations affect our behavior as well. If you approach a task with a positive attitude, then the task is usually enjoyable. I think the late Rev. C.L. Franklin said it best, “If you think (have the expectation of) a grasshopper, then you are a grasshopper.”
One of the things I love about God is that His actions always align with His expectations. Whatever He speaks, that’s what He expects! When He said, “Let there be light,” He didn’t look for trees and animals to appear. Instead, He expected light to emerge from the curtain of darkness that covered the earth. And sure enough, He got what He expected!
We must follow God’s example and upgrade our expectations! The third step in God’s extreme makeover is to expect change. When you start speaking before you see it, expect what you’re saying. Faith without works is dead, so make sure your expectations align with your faith in God!