We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than

In the words of Roy L. Smith: “We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching.” This wisdom, though spoken in modern times, is as old as humanity itself. For the young are not shaped by the endless words of their elders, but by the silent sermons of their deeds. A child’s eyes are keener than their ears; they observe, imitate, and internalize what they see lived before them. To speak virtue yet live in hypocrisy is to sow confusion. To embody virtue is to plant seeds that grow strong and lasting.

The ancients knew this truth well. The philosopher Aristotle taught that virtue is not taught only through lectures but through habit, through action repeated until it forms the soul’s character. The Romans raised their sons not only on the maxims of Cicero, but on the sight of fathers who labored, sacrificed, and led in war and peace. To the youth of any age, the example of the elder is the true scripture, written not in ink but in life. Roy L. Smith’s words are a call to remember this eternal principle: that children will mirror who we are, not merely echo what we say.

Consider the story of George Washington, often called the father of his country. As a boy, he absorbed not long sermons but the daily example of discipline, honor, and responsibility from those around him. Later in life, when he laid down power after two terms as president, the nation witnessed not a speech but an act—a living example of humility and restraint. That choice became one of the most powerful lessons in American history, teaching generations more than a thousand sermons could have done.

This truth is especially poignant in the home. A parent may scold a child against anger, yet if the child witnesses outbursts of rage, the lesson is lost. A teacher may preach honesty, but if caught in deceit, the student learns duplicity instead. Children are watchful guardians of their elders’ conduct, and from those unguarded actions they build the architecture of their own souls. Words without example are empty; example without words is powerful.

The imagery of Smith’s words carries warning but also hope. If hypocrisy can corrupt, then integrity can transform. A child who sees kindness practiced, respect shown, and diligence honored will absorb these as naturally as breath. Even when words fade from memory, the vision of lived virtue remains engraved upon the heart. In this way, every elder becomes a living text, every life a sermon read daily by young eyes.

The lesson is clear: live what you wish to teach. If you desire patience in your children, embody patience. If you wish them to be generous, let them see your hand give freely. If you long for them to be faithful, let them see you honor your word. Preaching is heard for a moment; example is seen for a lifetime. Remember always that your life is their first school, and your actions their first teacher.

Practical action flows from this wisdom: watch your daily conduct, for it is always on display. Speak less of what you demand, and show more of what you desire. In the home, workplace, and community, let your actions align with the virtues you proclaim. Correct yourself before you correct others, for those who follow you will not only hear your words but imitate your ways.

Thus, Roy L. Smith’s words stand as an ancient-sounding commandment for our modern age: children will not be formed by endless preaching, but by steadfast examples. Let your life be the sermon, your deeds the doctrine, your actions the enduring lesson. For in the end, the greatest teaching is not what you say, but what you live.