I guess nearly everyone is familiar with there being a difference between saying to do something, and actually doing it. That is something everybody will face once they get old enough. It is phrased in other ways, “practice what you preach” is a well known one, “do as I say, not as I do,” is another. God said it before those sayings, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

To expand on that point further would actually go against what this post is about. Thinking about it now, this entire post might be one big oxymoron. But we won’t know until it’s over, will we?

As you most likely know, I receive books to review. At one time, I tended toward the books that would be on the Christian Living shelf in the bookstore. Though these are generally helpful, I have found myself wanting a different type of book, one that told about people living out what would appear in a Christian Living book.

I tend to look at what other people do, and fashion my actions based on what I observe. I don’t necessarily copy their actions, but I have known myself to mimic them. I also might do the opposite for one reason or another. I do not want to imply that this is the best way to go through life, but it is where I am at for the moment.

What I have seen is quite a bit of the “do as I say” mentality. Though this might seem like passing judgement, that is not what I mean. We, as in the human race, will often say one thing and do another. From I see and think, it is because we know better. Somewhere, we know that we are doing wrong, and don’t want to lead someone astray. That doesn’t excuse our hypocrisy, but it will give us a place to start.

I know that I need to take a look at that starting line, and see where to go from there.