“I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions.” ~ Dorothy Day
Actions speak louder than words.
I’ve learned this in my personal and work life. The people I count on are not the ones who tell me what they can or will do, but the ones who actually do it.
We all learn to count on those who consistently follow through.
I’m sorry if this doesn’t sound very spiritual, though I’m sure there are spiritual applications.
In reality, when some people are faced with self-sacrifice in order to serve someone else, they choose themselves, letting the other person down.
I’ve learned in life to adopt a wait-and-see attitude when folks tell me their great plans for something. Of course, I’m hopeful that these things will actually pan out, but many times it is just talk.
And here’s a spiritual application: God’s dreams aren’t fulfilled, His house isn’t built, just by talking about it. At some point, we have to give up our time, our comfort, or whatever, and give ourselves over to spending time with and developing relationships with the Lord’s people and with Jesus Christ Himself.
The Apostle James said that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).
It is not meant to be all talk. The Lord’s life leads us to action – to act on behalf of the good of others.
Please know that I don’t want to make anyone feel guilty – but following Christ will tend to take us out of our comfort zone if we allow it.
As we enter the Christmas season, we also remember and celebrate God’s defining action on our behalf – coming to us as a human being to define and express an invisible, misunderstood God.
Follow the Life!
“God’s dreams aren’t fulfilled, His house isn’t built, just by talking about it. At some point, we have to give up our time, our comfort, or whatever, and give ourselves over to spending time with and developing relationships with the Lord’s people and with Jesus Christ Himself.” – Yeah, but Jesus is building His Church, right? It’s all spontaneous with no planning or structure, right? I mean, I can’t just limit myself to a few people each week, can I? I’ve got to spend time with as many different people in as many different places as possible, right? What are these “God’s dreams” of which you speak? What’s “His house,” precious?
Great article, brother. We’re continually contacted by people who are looking for the Lord and His House on their own terms: “Let me know when it comes to my town” or even “Let me know when it comes to my side of town.” Really appreciate your thoughts, bro.
I know these are rhetorical questions, and that you know the answers, and that you know that I know the answers as well. 🙂
You somewhat hit on part of my motivation- so many believers say they want the Lord, but as soon as you talk about His church, His way, with Christ as Head, folks run for the hills. I hope I’m not being judgmental; that’s not my heart. But this has been my experience and observation.
Well, now I know that you know I know you know the answers. (and yes, that took me a while to work out what I was saying there) 🙂
It didn’t come across as judgmental to me, bro. It’s an astute observation.
Thank you Mark for this amazingly timely word that in the very moment I read it, encouraged and affirmed some action I took last night. I was definitely out of my comfort zone as I confronted a relative on their treatment of another relative (all believers). It has been an ongoing awful saga and I felt the Lord’s impetus to speak up on her behalf. As always, the accuser came in to bring doubt and condemnation. But your post is like a warm gentle squeeze of my hand from Jesus. Thank you brother. 🙂
Very encouraging, Donna! Thank you! I hope everything works out with your family. 🙂
Alright, so it is no longer Monday, but I’m here and I’m chiming in!
I appreciate the thoughts you shared here brother! And I agree the Lord’s life does, in fact, move us beyond words and into action.
Another aspect (not to contradict what you’ve shared, at all) is that He also leads us into His timing on things. For instance, maybe the Lord has shown us something and wants us to get involved, to take action, but perhaps it isn’t time yet. Perhaps He has shown us so we can witness it (see what’s going on/where we need to be or go), learn, and have opportunity to know His life further into when and how He wants us to take action.
I know in my own life, there have been many times where the Lord has shown me something and I jumped right in without allowing His life to reveal why He showed me something, or when and how to go about walking by His life in it. Typically, in my exuberance, I would run head long into it and once I would come to some type of impasse would I give ear to consider His timing and His way through it, which was usually preceded or post-ceded (is that a word?) by some measure of repentance for my “self” reliance.
The Lord be to each of us His eyes to see, His heart to love, His wisdom to know the way in which to walk, and His hands and feet to do the good works He has established for us in Christ!
Love you brother!
Tobias
P.S. The video you shared immediately made me think of this–> https://youtu.be/1ISYT6EeUM0.
Yes, absolutely! I actually wrote about that here: http://3rdrace.org/transformed-through-waiting/
What I had in mind here was more of folks who say they want the Lord and yet aren’t willing to sacrifice things for Christ. As in, “I really want Christ, as long as He doesn’t want [fill in the blank]”. And I’m certainly guilty of this as well at times, as all of us probably are.
The encouragement is to become a person/people whose relationship with Christ flows out as He leads.