A favorite quote of mine is by Ralph Waldo Emerson. He said, “Your actions speak so loudly that I can’t hear what you are saying.”
We all have had people in our lives whose actions spoke the opposite of what they said. My dad, for instance, used to say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” As an abusive alcoholic, it was hard to try to raise children to be good people when you were that kind of role model. So, he would simply say, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Even the Apostle Paul said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). He didn’t say, “Follow me!”. He said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” But if he wasn’t following Christ, he didn’t want us to follow him.
We all struggle with behavior that can be hypocritical. One of the biggest complaints against the church is that it is filled with hypocrites. Of course it is. It is filled with sinners too. Being a hypocrite and a sinner go hand in hand. If that is what causes someone to avoid the church, they must avoid being in the world too, because it has even more hypocrites and sinners.
Remember what the scripture says: “There is none good, no not one.” (Romans 3:10 & Psalm 14:3, 53:3). Apart from Christ, we are not good. It is only through His shed blood that we are even able to do good. So why should it surprise us that we are all hypocrites and sinners?
It is not that we are perfect if we love Christ and He is Lord of our lives. But because of what He has done for us, we are striving to be different, striving to be Christ like.
The question is… ARE WE STRIVING TO BE DIFFERENT?!?!
Sometimes we think that we can live in two worlds. We behave one way in church and another way in the world and think that no one will know.
We think we can get drunk at the super bowl party and no one cares, post half naked pictures and it doesn’t matter, cuss like a sailor at work and just be “one of the guys”.
Scripture says, “For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.” Mark 4:22. “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be made known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” Luke 12:2-3.
Not only will everyone find out, but the most important part is that God already knows. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3.
Please understand that this is not judgement from me. Because we are all (including me) hypocrites and sinners and we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The only thing that makes the Christian any different is that they have repented, asked for forgiveness, and allowed Jesus to be Lord of their lives and to direct their path. And they SHOULD BE striving to be different.
As a Christian, our actions are either speaking death or they are speaking life (Christ). Our actions are either speaking lies or they are speaking truth (Christ). Our actions are either speaking pain or they are speaking love (Christ).
James 1:22 says,a “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.” Our actions should speak love. They should speak Christ. They should draw people to Jesus.
Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin” (what we earn for the sins we commit) “is death” (both physical and spiritual, which is separation from God). Sometimes it is our own death and sometimes (when we are Christians) our sin can contribute to the death of others.
When our actions are not speaking Christ — when they are not speaking love and trying to help others find Christ and find life — then our actions are speaking death and pushing them away from Him. And, no matter what Christian words we might use or scripture we might share that we have memorized, to quote Mr. Emerson, “Your actions speak so loudly that they can’t hear what you are saying”.
This world is filled with hurting, desperate, lost people. As Christians we are here to minister to them and to help them find the lover of their soul… Jesus. Are our actions speaking love? Are they speaking Christ?
Father God, when our actions rob you of glory, forgive us. When they drive people further away from you and not to you, forgive us. Father God, break our hearts for what breaks yours. Help us to see others through your eyes. Help us to hunger to point them to you and to minister to them. Lord, help us to resist our prideful, selfish, fleshly desires and actions and to walk and talk like Christ. Help us to love the way that you do, deeply and completely. Help our speech and our actions speak love. We pray this in your precious and holy name Jesus, amen.
If you are not a Christian and want to know more about the great love that He has for you and what it means to be forgiven, please go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. God desires a personal and sweet relationship with you. He loves you so deeply. Once you have prayed that prayer, please reach out to me at admin@forgiven-n-loved.com and let me know. I’d love to be praying for you.
Luv Ya!
