On Practicing What You Preach

Recently, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle published an editorial, “Gore must practice what he preaches on the environment.” The editorial pointed out that the electric and natural gas bills for Al Gore’s Nashville mansion were $30,000 for 2006. His electricity use was 20 times that of the average American. Gore recently produced a highly successful film on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. The final frame for the film asks, "Are you ready to change the way you live?"

The editorial writer asks, “Well, are you, Mr. Gore?”

The writer concludes, “Leadership requires setting an example, not just talking about one.”

In a recent book, Rev. Bob Edgars, entitles a chapter on our nation’s fight against terrorism, “We’re the Good Guys---Let’s Act Like It!” His point is that we can hardly preach against torture and human rights abuses if we employ the same tactics as those we oppose.

I must admit that as a preacher, I’m uncomfortable when anybody starts talking about practicing what you preach. The Apostle Paul was not uncomfortable about it at all. He wrote: “Join together, my friends, in following my example.” (Philippians 3:17)

Of course, there is only one instance in which the Word truly and completely became Flesh. (John 1:14)

It is truly a great thing when a preacher practices what he or she preaches. On the other hand, we would have pretty poor sermons if preachers preached only what they practiced.

Please have mercy on us preachers! May all of us preachers and hearers of the word become doers of the word!

2007 C. David Hess