Be a "Do As I Do" Man, Not a "Do As I Say" Man

Scripture

John 15:10-11; John 13:15

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:10-11)I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (John 13:15)Jesus Christ lived out the way He is asking you to live. You have at least two categories of people. Category One is “Do as I do.” Category two is “Do as I say, not as I do.” Jesus is always in “Category One.” He never asks you to do anything He has not practiced.In John 13, Jesus is speaking to His disciples, teaching them eternal truths. He literally washed the feet of the disciples. Picture this, the One Who created the world is the One Who is now in the position of a servant illustrating the way they and future disciples should live. In essence, Jesus is saying, “Live what I do.” Further in John 15:10, Jesus tells His disciples that He has kept the Father’s commandments.Jesus has called you as a Christian man to obey Him and to set the example for your wife, children, friends, those you work with, and those you live by. Within the minds of many who have no affiliation with Christianity, our faith has a credibility issue: Many who profess to know Jesus are not practicing the example of Jesus. Commit that you will model each day an authentic Christian faith

How To Be a “Do As I Do” Man:

1. Each day, strive to be a Category One Christian—Do as I do.”
2. Set the example to your wife and children of setting aside time each day for God—to study His Word and to pray. Teach your children how to talk to God and read His Word.
3. Think about your example at home. Are you the same person at home as you are outside of your home?
4. Think about your example at work. Are you exemplifying the attitude of someone who follows Jesus Christ?
5. If you have failed to set the example, seek God’s forgiveness and commit today that you will live your faith out loud so that people first see Jesus rather than you.

Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way. – Author: Karl BarthDr. Robert Schuller’s teenage daughter, Cindy, was in a motorcycle accident and had to have her leg amputated. John Wayne was a big fan of Robert Schuller. He heard Dr. Schuller say on one of his programs that his daughter had been in an accident and had to have her leg amputated. John Wayne wrote a note to her saying:Dear Cindy:Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you will be all right. Signed, John WayneThe note was delivered to her, and she decided she wanted to write John Wayne a note in reply. She wrote:Dear Mr. Wayne:I got your note. Thanks for writing to me. I like you very much. I am going to be all right because Jesus is going to help me. Mr. Wayne, do you know Jesus? I sure hope you know Jesus, Mr. Wayne because I cannot imagine Heaven being complete without John Wayne being there. I hope if you don’t know Jesus you will give your heart to Jesus right now. See you in Heaven. And she signed her name.She had just put that letter in an envelope, sealed it, and written across the front of it “John Wayne” when a visitor came into her room to see her. He said to her: What are you doing?She said: I just wrote a letter to John Wayne, but I don’t know how to get it to him. He said: That’s funny, I am going to have dinner with John Wayne tonight at the Newport Club down at Newport Beach. Give it to me and I will give it to him. She gave him the letter, and he put it in his coat pocket.There were twelve of them that night sitting around the table for dinner. They were laughing and cutting up and the guy happened to reach in his pocket and felt that letter and remembered. John Wayne was seated at the end of the table and the guy took the letter out and said: Hey, Duke, I was in Schuller’s daughter’s room today and she wrote you a letter and wanted me to give it to you. Here it is.They passed it down to John Wayne, and he opened it. They kept on laughing and cutting up and someone happened to look down at John Wayne. He was crying.One of them said: Hey, Duke, what is the matter? He said (and can’t you hear him saying it), “I want to read you this letter.” He read the letter.Then he began to weep. He folded it, put it in his pocket, and he pointed to the man who delivered it to him and said: “You go tell that little girl that right now, in this restaurant, right here, John Wayne gives his heart to Jesus Christ and I will see her in heaven.” Three weeks later, John Wayne died.You never know how your witness to another will affect their eternity! To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)[1]Before you leave your home today, make a commitment that wherever you go, whoever you see, whatever you are doing, whenever it is, you will ask, “How can I set an example of someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ?” Continue to reflect on this as the days progress. Wingmen are “Do As I Do” men!