The Importance of Example

XIV. Train them remembering continually the influence of your own example.

"Fathers and mothers, do not forget that children learn more by the eye than they do by the ear. No school will make such deep marks on character as home. The best of schoolmasters will not imprint on their minds as much as they will pick up at your fireside. Imitation is a far stronger principle with children than memory. What they see has a much stronger effect on their minds than what they are told.

"Take care, then what you do before a child. It is a true proverb. "Who sins before a child, sins double.: Strive rather to be a living epistle of Christ, such as your families can read, and that plainly too. . . Think not your children will practice what they do not see you do. You are their model picture, and they will copy what you are. Your reasoning and your lecturing, your wise command and your good advice; all this they may not understand, but they can understand your life. . .

"Even so, the parent who tries to train without setting a good example is building with one hand, and pulling down with the other."

~ From the Duties of Parents, J. C. Ryle, See the first post in this series.


[This is so good. So much truth. And we all know it! Mr. Ryle says it so well; this is only a small taste of it.]