“The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.” ~ Paulo Coelho
If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times while growing up: “Talk is cheap.” That was one of my mom’s favorite sayings. When anyone of us boys would say that we were going to do something, we would get the famous “talk is cheap”. It used to rile me when I heard that; but, it was most definitely true.
It IS easier to talk about something and never do it than to actually accomplish what we talk about. We could talk and talk and talk and never set about doing. Yet, it is only in the doing that we validate our talk.
There is another phrase that encapsulates that thought: “You can’t talk the talk if you won’t walk the walk.” Putting our words into action is crucial. Jesus was a man of words and a man of action. He never said anything that He did not accomplish. He knew that His words would set Him on the path of destruction — dying on a cross — yet He spoke about love and mercy and forgiveness and embodied all of those virtues to the very end.
As He has done, so we must do.
Jesus gave us such an example that we can clearly see what is expected of us. Our mission is to set as clear an example for those around us. When they hear our words and see them backed by our actions, they should see Jesus. When we love someone, it should be as God loves: unconditionally and completely. To love any less or to love with strings attached is not worthy of the name Christian. If we use the word Christian to identify ourselves, we must live the word Christian each and every moment of our lives.
It is so easy to talk. It is much more difficult to do what we say. Let us make the effort to follow our words with pure, loving action this day.
FAITH ACTION: Make sure to set a good example today so that others may follow.