Inconsistency

What would you think of a preacher who didn’t practice what he preached? I can’t say that many of us would have warm fuzzy feelings about him. We certainly wouldn’t believe anything he said. The fact of the matter is hypocrisy makes our blood boil. The words and actions of one of these people are as unpalatable as dry concrete mix in our mouths. We hate everything about it.

Growing up, I always heard my friends complain about their parents for one reason or another (teens do that a lot). For the most part, I can’t remember what they complained about. But one complaint has resonated in my mind ever since I first heard it. My friend, Justin, was being taught to drive by his father. His father told him, “Speed kills. Drive slowly.” This is great advice! It would have had a totally different meaning for Justin if his dad actually “practiced what he preached”. You see, Justin’s father drove like he was on a race track every time he got behind the wheel. How could Justin’s father expect him to miss this inconsistency? When Justin confronted his father about it, he got one of the most destructive answers I can think of for a teenager: “Do as I say. Don’t do as I do.”

Do as I say. Read the Bible. Go to church. Don’t drink. Don’t cuss. Don’t look at porn. Pray. Treat your friends with respect. Help people who are in need. We give our teenagers a massive list of do’s and do not’s. We know that this list is important for them, but do we know how much more important it is for ourselves? If we can’t back up our words with action, our words become hollow and meaningless. “Do as I say” will only work when you can honestly accompany it with “and Do as I do.”

Look at the example of Paul in the scriptures. Would Paul have had any credibility if he told people to “love one another”, all the while seeing to the murder of thousands of Christians? Of course not! Only when Paul submitted himself fully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ did he have any ground to stand on. It is from those grounds that Paul urges us, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (I Cor 11:1 NIV). Praise the Lord that we have such unwavering examples for our own lives.

When you tell your teenager to pray for something, let that remind you that you need to pray as well. Maybe you need to stop and pray WITH your teenager. How powerful would that be? When you teach your teenager to treat others with respect, remind yourself that you need to work on the same thing. When you encourage your teen to be involved in church, don’t just drop them off and go back home to watch the news… get involved yourself! Your teenager will follow in your footsteps no matter where you lead them… they will do as you do. Lead them right by your right example. Practice what you preach. By the way, to this day, Justin drives like he’s on a race track every time he gets behind the wheel.