Relay runners know that to win they must not only run well but pass the baton successfully. If you drop the baton, you are disqualified. Passing the baton correctly is vital in relays but also in a business, a church, or a life. We find in Malachi chapter 2 that long ago, God praised older leaders that faithfully did their duty not only to teach but also to model what they taught. God said of them, “They greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.” But God chided the new crop of teachers. God said of them that even though a priest’s lips should preserve the knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, “You priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin.” Today, we who have the privilege of communicating God’s word must be very careful, not only to teach the truth God has revealed, we must also model what we teach. If we drop the baton both this generation and generations to come will suffer loss.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
