Proverbs 29:19 A servant cannot be corrected by mere words;
though he understands, he will not respond.
This is something that I believe all of us understand in theory, but don’t always put into practice. Too many times I have heard stories from teens where their parents will punish them for their language, but their parents use worse language and that is okay. It gets even deeper. Parents will tell their children not to have sex before they are married or not to take drugs or drink alcohol, yet the kids know their parents have done these exact things. Then, the parents will say that just because they did it does not make it right and it is their hope that the kids will learn from the mistakes of the parents and benefit from their wisdom. ERRRRRRRRR! Just stop it right there! This tactic just doesn’t work. Do as I say, not as I do has no credibility in anyone’s world!
If we aren’t willing to be examples of what we teach, how can we expect others to follow our ways? That is the awesome thing about Jesus. Not only does he give us wisdom through his teaching, but he lived the life in the flesh for the world to see. He never stumbled or compromised. When Jesus teaches something we can know that he lived it himself.
What can you eliminate from your life that sets a bad example for others? Especially if you’re a parent, I would hope you would take this verse to heart. Could you give up drinking to avoid putting yourself in compromising positions? If you think taking out your co-workers for drinks after work and then saying some dumb things will help them respect your authority in the workplace, you are totally wrong. if you tell your girlfriend to be more responsible in staying in touch with you, shouldn’t you do the same thing? There are so many things we do, consciously and sub-consciously that reveal us to be somewhat hypocritical. Let’s seek the Lord, ask His forgiveness, and start being better examples of what we say. Respect cannot be demanded, but it must be earned.
Related posts:
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 3
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 8
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 7
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 17
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 26
Tags: Bible, daily devotion, God, meditation, prayer, proverbs 29
