“I would rather see a sermon preached, than hear one any day.”

“What you are doing speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you are saying.”

“Your religion is what you do when the sermon is over.”

Are you familiar with sayings such as these? They have made me consider what I am saying or doing on more than one occasion. No matter the message, the messenger is what we really pay attention to. This is easily seen regarding people in visible positions of authority or responsibility, but what about the average person who seeks to follow God – does this saying apply to you? You bet it does. To borrow from Roger Ailes, “you are the message.”

Roger Ailes spent his life in broadcasting and journalism and, among other things, was a media advisor to American presidents Ronald Regan and George Bush (41). He wrote a book titled, You Are The Message, in which he makes the primary point that unless our public presentation is based on who we are and the values we hold, we will not truly succeed at whatever we are attempting to do. Mr. Ailes goes on to state in his book that it only takes seven seconds for someone to make an impression on another person. But if we are living our message, seven seconds is all the time we need.

I hope you can see the spiritual application in Mr. Ailes point – you are the message for God’s way of life. As Christ said, we are to “…shine before men that they may see your good [actions] and glorify your Father…,” (Matthew 5:16). People will observe us in life, at school and at work – and make an assessment of God’s way of life. Do we live and behave what we say we believe? The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy regarding this point of personal example, “…be an example of the believers, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity,” (1 Timothy 4:12).

Many religions or religious denominations that are growing in number do so more out of the sense of community they create than the doctrine they teach. However, doctrine is vital, and we have to act like what we describe ourselves as. Jesus Christ said we must worship the Father in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

For centuries people, young and old, have been drawn to God’s way of life through the example of current members of the Body of Christ. Maybe that’s how you heard about God’s way of life? But people will not stick with a group or organization that says one thing and then does another. Our example can make that difference. The book of Titus puts it this way, “…in all things show yourself a pattern as the model of good works: in Godly instruction, purity of living, fairness and genuineness…” (Titus 2:7).

We need to remember our example to the world, but also our example to each other – we are to incite one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).

What kind of message do we preach through our actions? What understanding of God do others have from not only hearing what we have to say about God’s way of life, but even more importantly what they see us doing?

Ask yourself; what is your message?