By Chris WittsSaturday 21 May 2022Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
One of the things that really irritates me is when someone doesn’t follow up on their verbal promise.
Tradesman said. Yeah, I’ll be at your place tomorrow, right on 8am. You wait and wait. No sign of that tradesmen. He never turns up. Now I realise that’s a generalisation, but it’s happened to me more than once, and I do get annoyed. That’s why I’m referring now to the saying. Actions speak louder than words.
It literally means my actions line up with my words. If I say I’ll be at your place today at three o’clock, I will be there.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
This proverb ‘action speaks louder than words’ reminds us that what we do has more significance than what we say, and I think that’s an important issue. There’s no sense in saying one thing only to show in your actions that you don’t really mean it. Our words are only as good as our ability to follow up on our promises. What we do, not what we say that defines the kind of people we are. What we do carries more weight than what we say.
Mahatma Gandhi is probably the most noteworthy example here. This man made a huge contribution to Indian independence through his actions. Furthermore, his actions like non-violence supporting farmers supporting the oppressed, made a huge impact. He was a man who stood by what he said.
The Bible’s got quite a lot to say to help us understand this proverb. You won’t find it literally in the words that I’ve quoted in the Bible. But 1 John 3:18 in the New Testament is pretty close. Don’t just talk about love as an idea or theory, make it your way of life and live in the pattern of gracious love. Therefore, it is a biblical principle in line with God’s will for us to put our talk into action by the loving way we treat others and being truthful in what we say.
But actions reveal the real story of what’s going on. Can you be reliant on actions to pick the person’s character and personality? What someone does and how he behaves in that particular situation reveal his real side actions and words. The Christian principle says we need to live by showing love and not just talking about love. It shows up in the smallest ways throughout our day. Too many times we try to think of doing great things to the point it keeps us from doing anything.
I recall the inspiring quote by Mother Teresa that says, “We can’t all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.” And Mother Teresa certainly was a lady of action, not just words. Her legacy lives on today. So if you and I focus on doing small things today, showing God’s love, we can make a difference in the lives of others. Doing great things isn’t what makes the difference in life. It’s doing the small things consistently.
Daily Walk
If you’re a committed Christian, how does your talk match you’re doing? Words are cheap. The tongue can sometimes run away with itself. We can’t bring back the horrible words we might say and the negative influence on others. It was Albert Schweitzer who once said “example is not the main thing in influencing others,” he said, “it’s the only thing.” How important is our example. People won’t always remember what you said, but they will remember what you did for better or worse. Sometimes we’re so busy living our life that we’ve failed to realise the importance of what we say to some people is often not the same as what we do to others.
Like the story just after World War One morning, a soldier was making his way back to his barracks in London and, as he turned the corner in his Jeep, spotted a little boy with his nose pressed up to the window of a pastry shop and inside, the cook was kneading dough for a fresh batch of donuts, and the Hungary boy stared in silence, watching every move. The soldier pulled his Jeep to the curb, got out, walked quietly to where the little fellow was, and he could see the mouthwatering morsels as they were being pulled from the oven. Piping hot, the boy released a slight groan as he watched the cook put them back into the counter. The soldier’s heart went out to this nameless orphan as he stood beside him. Son, would you like some of these? The little boy was startled. Yeah, he said. I really would. So the soldier stepped inside. He bought a dozen, put them in the bag and walked back to where the little lad was standing in the foggy Cole of the London morning. The soldier smiled, held out the bag and said, Here you are.
And as he turned to walk away, he felt a tug on his coat. He looked back and heard the little boy so quietly. “Hey, mister, are you God?”
We’re never more like God than when we give. May my words always match my actions.
Dear Lord, I need your touch and your Grace to help me fulfil what I say and to put everything that I promise into action. This is a lesson for life, and I ask it in Jesus’ name, Amen.