Matthew 23:1-3 “1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.’”

How many times did your parents say, “Do as I say and not as I do”? Well, I heard that a few times. I know parents who drink but tell their kids not to. They smoke but tell their kids not to. Now, I am not judging you if you drink or smoke. That is between you and the Lord. I am just saying that our actions speak much louder than our words to our kids.

In this passage Jesus is pointing out the Scribes and Pharisees who “have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.” What does that mean? Moses’ chair? He was referring to the place where people came to have Moses judge them or give them advice. Are you sitting there now? Are you sitting in judgment over your kids, all the while you are doing the very thing you are judging them for doing?

May I encourage you today to be a model of the very behavior you desire in your children? If you want them to be kind to their sibling, then be kind to your husband or wife or that stranger you meet in the line at the grocery store. If you want them to keep their room clean, then keep your bedroom tidy. You get the drift. Do, don’t just say! Don’t be a Pharisee. Be real to your kids.