Show and Tell

There is a phrase that many of us are familiar with: “I can show you better than I can tell you.” Now this phrase may bring chills to some, as it may have been said by a parent, but in reality,  many of us want the demonstration, and not just words. The phrase “I love you” , while nice to hear, if not followed by actions, is just words.  The demonstration, or the showing, is what brings the words to life.

When I was in kindergarten, Show and Tell was one of the highlights of the week.  I remember how we would get excited to bring in something to show the class.  While showing this item, we would tell them all the great features it had.  We loved to brag about this item.  The item was something very special to us, and we held it close, and wanted the world to know about it.  As we showed the item, we would even demonstrate how it works, the features.  We would show it is such a way that others would want to experience this item for themselves.  We did not just tell how good it was, but we showed it too. 

One of the hardest classes to attend, for me, are lecture style classes.  Having someone just tell me, or talk at me, was and is difficult, and honestly boring.   Sure, I could learn the material by you telling me, but I engage better and hold on to it when I am shown, and able to do.  

There is a method that many teachers use in the classroom: I do, we do, you do.  In this method the teacher demonstrates (shows) the concept, the class and teacher do it together, and then the students are released to work the problem out independently.  The students learned not just by being shown or told what to do, but in the action of doing.

Doing is next level.  It is stepping out on what was shown and told to us.  Doing indicates we understand and can apply that of which we were taught.  Doing (at least for me) can be the hardest thing, especially when it requires doing it independently.  While it is exciting to stand and do it independently, it is sometimes a little scary.  Why? Well, I can only speak for self: it is the fear of failing.  The “what ifs” questions begin to pop in my mind: what if it do it wrong? What if I forget? What if it does not work? What if I did not really learn the lesson? And the biggest what if question…what if I can’t do it?  This is where we (I) get stuck.  That last “what if” question.  

What I find interesting is that many of our “what if” questions are negative.  So, I pose a new set of “what if” questions: “What if I remember what to do?” “What if it does work?”  “What if I really did learn the lesson?”  “What if I find I can do it?”  For believers, this last question should be easy to answer, because we know Philippians 4:13 tells us “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

As children of God, we are all called to do specific things.  God showed us His love towards us by giving us Jesus.  Jesus showed us His love for us by His death and resurrection.  We are living in a world that people need to hear and see about the love of God. We say we trust God, and we love God, but are we showing and demonstrating what we are saying, or are they  just empty words?  No longer can I (we) sit on the sideline just talking, we must put our words to action.  Let’s get back to the excitement of kindergarten Show and Tell, and not just tell God how much we love Him, but show Him in our actions towards others and in our actions towards what He has assigned us to do.  Let’s Show and Tell!

#showandtell