Leading by Example

My husband has subscribed to Harvey MacKay’s column for about two years. This past week’s was particularly interesting. It spoke of living your example. He shared a particularly pertinent story:

Actor Martin Sheen told this story: "One day a young mother brought her young child to the famous Indian leader Gandhi and said, 'Please, Gandhi, you must tell my son to stop eating sweets.'
"Gandhi thought for a moment, then replied, 'Well, all right, can you come back in two days?'
"The mother agreed and came back with her child in exactly two days. Gandhi took the child aside and said, 'Don't eat sweets.'
"'Is that all?' said the puzzled mother, and Gandhi said, 'Yes.'
"'But why couldn't you have said that two days ago?' asked the mother.
"'Because,' replied Gandhi, 'two days ago I was still eating sweets.'"

I thought this was a great reminder for all of that if we are going to espouse following Christ then we better step in his footsteps ourselves. We are to lead as example and not just by words.