How many times have you had someone to say to you…”you need to practice what you preach” or you have said that to someone else?  At least for me, I have had to remind myself along with a couple of other people on several occasions.

Now let’s look at the word hypocrite as it relates to “practice what you preach”.  A hypocrite as defined in Webster’s dictionary is a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs.  In the Bible, Jesus denounces the scribes and the Pharisees for behaving in this manner of hypocrisy in Matthew 23:3, “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” Now, I am sure that we all know someone who is like that, or we may have found ourselves sometimes behaving in such a manner.

As followers of Christ, we should always practice what we preach or at least behave in a manner that is consistent with or reflective of God’s Word.  Reason being is that it shows the integrity of our faith and it provides a reflection of the light of Christ in our lives.  According to Matthew 5:14, it states…”Ye are the light of the world…” and in Matthew 5:16…”Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.   We should always want people to be attracted to the light of Christ that is within us by the way we live and the words that we speak and share.

In addition, as followers of Christ, we are always being carefully watched by the non-believers and the unsaved. The Word and the scriptures that we share with others should also be reflective in our lifestyle and everyday living.  We should be the same when we are at work, home, school and believe it or not, when we are on social media sites.   We must be different from the world so that it will be encouraging for the unsaved and unbelievers to want to get to know and love the Christ that we know and love.

Here are three ways on how to practice what you preach:

1. Watch the words or comments that you say or speak.  Are your responses any different from those who do not know Christ?
2. Your reactions should be Christ-like in every circumstance and situation
3.  Our lifestyle should be the same in public and out of the public’s eye

If we are not practicing what we preach, how can we expect to be effective in sharing God’s Word with others?  It is hard to persuade the unsaved and the non-believers the need for salvation, if they see the hypocrisy in us as believers.

Now ask yourself this question…”Are you practicing what you preach?”

Sharing God’s Word in Love,

Tamela