Prepare or Impair – Part 2

By Greg Sanders

It has been said that “more is caught than is taught” by kids from their parents. This expression reminds me that we can say all the right things all day long, but it is our actions that get repeated and imbedded in the hearts of those around us. This fact brings me to today’s question: Is your daily example preparing those around you to face the future or is it impairing their ability to do so?

Matthew 24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

This week I want to challenge each of us not to just live a life that is prepared for His coming, but to also live lives that prepare others, especially those who the Lord has entrusted to us such as our family and friends. To ensure that our example is preparing people rather than impairing their ability to see the value of the Gospel, we must make every effort to ensure that our lifestyle matches our belief.

Paul told Timothy that these two things go hand in hand in preparing others. In 1 Timothy 4:16 Paul says: “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” Believing is not enough on its own to prepare others; we must also live a life that instills the values we believe.

I remember years ago when I was youth pastoring, a frustrated parent came to see me about the issues going on in their child’s life. The parent made this statement to me, “I drop my child off here at this church three times a week. I don’t understand why the message is not getting through to him.” The problem was not that the values were not being communicated to him. The problem was that those the student valued most were not living them out.

Today’s Lesson: Ask the Lord to give you the conviction to live out what you say you believe. By doing so, you are preparing all of those who watch you with a real Gospel message.

Blessings

Greg