A recently published survey confirms what we've known for a long time. It reported that people tend to learn and remember things a lot better if they have the opportunity to both hear and see what is being taught. Look at this: RECALL
after 3 hours after 3 days
Telling 70% 10%
Showing 72% 20%
Telling & Showing 85% 65%
The immediate application of this, of course, involves our teaching efforts in classes and public lessons. Teachers, preachers, and others who want to get their point across to an audience need to realize the importance of good "visual aids." It is obvious that people understand things better when these are used. And, even more importantly, they tend to retain what they have learned to a far higher degree.
These statistics also illustrate something about how Christians should live. If you will allow us to make this parallel - we are God's "visual aids!" It is one thing to tell people how they ought to live, but it is another thing to show them. That's our job! Jesus said, "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Christian, what kind of "visual aid" are you? Are you doing a good job of showing others how God wants them to live? Don't forget that people tend to remember what they hear and see. You can tell them about the Lord and His will, but what are they seeing in you? What lessons are you teaching?
