PRACTICE THEN PREACH

PRACTICE THEN PREACH
His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktivedantanSwami Prabhupada

Our business is to raise ourselves to the highest status of life as preachers of Krishna’s message. One should behave rigidly, then he should
instruct others. Two things: Be exemplary, and then teach others to be exemplary. If one has not come to that high standard, he
cannot judge or criticize others.

There is a saying in the Bible, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”How we can preach unless we are qualified to make judgments? That will not be possible. Only those who are above suspicion can judge others. One himself must act in such a way that he is always above suspicions. Then he can judge, then he can preach. But now you have no power to instruct. One who is not following himself, how he can instruct others?
— Letter 17 December 1972.