Your Life Is Your Loudest Sermon

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity"
1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

Do you know how long it takes to trust someone when you first meet them? 

Seven seconds! That's barely enough time to say hello. But your presence communicates volumes before you say a word. I like how Karl Malone once said, "We don't choose to be role models; we are chosen."

The truth is, someone is watching your life today. Your coworker notices how you handle stress. Your children observe how you treat your spouse. Your neighbor sees how you respond to disappointment. The Apostle Paul understood this when he told young Timothy that his life—not just his words—would be his most powerful ministry tool.

You may feel unqualified because of your age, experience, or mistakes, but Paul gives you hope: what you lack in credentials, you can make up for in character. Let your faith display His faithfulness and your purity reflect His holiness.

Coach John Wooden said it perfectly: "No written word, nor spoken plea, can teach our youth what they should be…. It's what the teachers are themselves." Today, ask yourself: if someone followed your example exactly, where would they end up? Your life is your loudest sermon. Make sure it's preaching the message from Your Heavenly Father.

Prayer: Father, thank You for speaking Your Word to me. I know that YOu call me to practice Your Word, not only listen to it. Give me the grace to live out Your truth through loving words and actions of integrity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.