WHEN NOT TO PREACH

I heard a sermon recently on the subject of fasting. The preacher explained what it was and why we should do it, and challenged the congregation to practice fasting from food on a regular basis, perhaps one day a week. He had a couple of inspirational quotes about fasting that felt like they were gathered by Googling "inspirational quotes about fasting". 

But overall, he came across almost apologetic for bringing the subject up in the first place and made jokes about how fasting is everybody's "favorite" topic.  I think it was within the first five minutes or so that he admitted with a chuckle that he himself is "lucky to fast once or twice a year". 

So, yes, it was kind of disastrous. 

And I felt bad for him because usually he is on top of things in the pulpit. 

This particular sermon left me hoping that maybe he discovered in the rubble something I learned years ago when I was preaching on a regular basis: If you're not living it, you better at least feel convicted of it. 

If you're neither, you best not preach it.