“Because I said so.”
“Do as I say, not as I do.”
We know those methods of teaching don’t teach anything except that the rules apply to some people and not others.
A renowned monk presided over a large group of young students, all hoping to gain the master’s wisdom (and hopefully become masters in their own right).
One student was caught stealing and was reported to the monk. After several times of this, with nothing being done to penalize the thief, the other students came to the monk angrily threatening to leave the monastery.
“Leave if you must,” the monk said. “But if you do, who will be left to show your brother the correct way to live?”
As the story goes, the guilty boy was so moved by the monk’s response that he never stole again. Or, as we might say it today, he learned by example and not by words.
Ephesians 4:22-24 in the NIV tells us:
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Jesus is our standard. When we model ourselves after him, and we live out his example from the Word, people will see him living through us.
We can’t just say we’re Christians. It must be visible in every action, every word, every deed we do.
The world hears what we do better than they listen to what we say. Let’s reveal Jesus every day.
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Code: FGO.A.26.22c.vp.niv