Example Is Better Than Precept – 500 Words
It is said ‘saying’ and ‘doing’ are two different things. It is easy to say, but it difficult to do, to perform. It requires immense will power, courage and constant efforts to give a practical shape to the things.
When we say something, or give instruction to others, it must be shown practically or by giving personal examples. Let us take a few examples, how example is better than precept. – A teacher always exhorts the students to be regular and punctual. But he himself is often late and irregular. He cannot expect to be listened to or respected. He must set an example before the students.
A loving fathers tells his children to rise early or says, fearly rising in good’, but he never gets up before 8 a.m. He sets a bad example. Again he instructs his young son not to smoke, but he is a chain smoker. He is not going to be listened to unless he himself sets examples before them.
Do what you preach’ is the golden rule to be followed in practical life. Good examples or good manners have good influence on others. If you project some thing bad or do not have good manners, you lose your respect and are written down or condemned. Therefore the seniors should always set good examples before the juniors. Children of good parents are always well behaved because they learn manners from their seniors. [the_ad id=”17141″]
The saying ‘example is better than precept is more true about the government. It is said: ‘Like Govt. like people. If the government is itself corrupt, it can not expect the people to be good and honest.’ If the government follows double standards in dealing with people; favours the followers and penalizes the opponents, it loses respect and confidence of the people. This is what is happening in our country.
Practical demonstration or example always helps in easy, understanding the theory and lessons that are being given. It is equally mund about moral teaching. Islam is a practical religion. The example of the holy prophet SAW is the best model for the Believers. He always practiced what he preached. He instructed his governors to be models for the masses.
Let us take the study of literature. Readers come across essays on virtues like justice, truth obedience, friendship and patriotism. These are merely abstract qualities unless they are practically followed and applied in daily life. Only ideals or model can really reinforce these values.
A Laws are good in books. They are made for the good of man. But they have no value unless they are strictly followed in life. Their obedience must be examples. Man lives in deeds and not in words. Noble is he who noble does.
Example Is Better Than Precept – 400 Words
Outline:
- Example is better than precept
- For instance in: (a) Learning drill; (b) Technical education
- It is especially important in the moral sphere: (a) Training of children (b) Religious teaching
In every sphere, “example is better than precept”. It is far more effective to show a beginner how to do something through actions it before him correctly oneself, than merely to tell him what to do. This is how the drill sergeant teaches raw recruits their military drill. He first goes through the various movements himself before them, sloping arms, presenting arms, trailing arms, fixing bayonets, and so on. His pupils watch his movements and then try to copy them.
So in crafts, technical education is not picked up from books. The learner must go into the si carpenter’s shop, the smithy, the engineer’s workroom or the mill, and watch and copy trained workmen as they actually do their tasks before him. [the_ad id=”17142″]
But it is in the moral sphere that example is so much more effective than precept, both for good and evil. Take the training of children by their parents. Children are very observant and are keen critics. They notice very quickly whether their father does himself what he teaches them. He teaches them it is wrong to tell lies, for example; but if he is himself untruthful, his teaching will have but little effect. Children are great mimics; they will copy their parents, if the parents are really honest, truthful, kind and unselfish, or if they are dishonest, selfish and harsh, their children will imitate them. To set children a good example is far more important than teaching them any number of fine moral maxims; and a bad example will do them far more harm than any amount of sound teaching will do them good.
Any man who sets himself up as a moral teacher must see to it that he does not undo all the good his teaching might affect, by a bad example. He must practise what he preaches, or his preaching will do more harm than good, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) warned the Muslim to go astray from the true path. He himself set the example, and said “Follow me!” so on the other hand the moral teacher must follow the example of Goldsmith’s Village Preacher:
“He tried each art, reproved each dull delay, allured to brighter worlds, and led the way.”
The example of real goodness set before men by a really good man will do more for morality than hundreds of eloquent sermons or tons of moral advice.
