We all love to play the hypocrite—at least I do. Most everyone gives advice without following it themselves, your twitter feed being a living example. Plus, we love catching a hypocrite in the act of cheating on their advice.

Jesus didn’t care for hypocrites. He warned his disciples about a group of prominent religious teachers: You must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Timeless advice.

Or to turn this teaching around, whatever you preach, you’d better practice. I may tell others salad is good for them, but at the next meal I’d better chew a bunch of leaves and swallow.

Which leads me to one solution—stop preaching so much. I best preach on issues I plan to make my own, to follow-up on, to do the work on in my own life. Otherwise, I should keep quiet.

Practice what I preach. Good words to keep in mind the next time I spout off.

Matthew 23 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Carine L