Don't Be a Poor Example

A woman in Oregon was caught driving 103 miles per hour with her 10 year old grandson in the car. When she was stopped by the police, she told them that she was only trying to teach him never to drive that fast. I suppose she wanted him to do as she said, not as she did. The Pharisees and teachers of the law seemed to have a similar problem. Jesus had a scathing assessment of them: They were spiritually bankrupt. He held these to groups directly responsible for this sad spiritual condition. As the successors of the lawgiver Moses, they were responsible for expounding the law so that people would walk in God’s ways and have a genuine and vibrant relationship with the Lord. "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). Their personal interpretation and application of the law became more important than God’s law. They did not practice what they preached! What they did observe was done not to bring glory to God but to honor themselves. Jesus exposed who they were – image managers, posers, and hypocrites.

The test of the effectiveness of following Jesus is not just in what we say but in how we live. Are we telling others God’s Word and doing what it says? We must model our lives by words and actions as we diligently follow Him.

Christians, remember you bear His dear name,

Your lives are for others to view;

You are living examples – men praise you or blame,

And measure your Savior by you.

— Anonymous

“Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do” (Matthew 23:3)

--- Our Daily Bread, Marvin Williams