Aesop tells the story about...
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Aesop tells the story about a baby crab and his mother. A mother crab and her son went scurrying over the sand. The mother chastised her child, "Stop walking sideways! It's much more becoming to stroll straightforward!" And the young crab replied, "I will, Mother dear, just as soon as I see how. Show me the straight way and I'll walk in it behind you." How often have those of us in the preaching or teaching professions blithely handed out moral advice to others? How often have we failed to live up to our honey-tongued admonishments to classroom or congregation? An old adage puts it, "your actions speak so loudly that I can't hear what you are saying." Paul writing to the Philippian Church urges them to follow his example of Christ-like service. In our own lives we can serve as examples to others who, as much as humanly possible, seek to walk the walk as well as talk the talk! Our passage contains the only mention of Paul's weeping in this delightfully joyful epistle. It grieved Paul when Christians followed those who were bad examples. -- Mills
