"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of
doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he
visits us." (1 Peter 2:12 NIV)
"You have tasted that the Lord is
good." (1 Peter 2:3 NIV)
As we were wandering around Zermatt,
Switzerland, home of the famous Matterhorn, a store caught the eye of my
boys. There was a huge Swiss Army knife on display in the window, one
with at least 120 different gadgets. Boys will be boys, and naturally
anything "weapon-like" fascinates them. Especially ones with 120
different gadgets!
It didn't take me long to become fascinated by
these knives as well. Especially when I found one with an optic
screwdriver! It was way too expensive for my meager wallet, but I
couldn't keep my eyes off of it. A couple of months earlier, one side of
my glasses fell apart. A small screw had found its way to freedom,
freeing my coke-bottle lens at the same time! It could only be called a
miracle that the glass lens fell on my foot, saving it from splintering
all over the road. If I had had such a pocket knife at my disposal, I
could have immediately fixed my glasses!
A salesclerk soon saw me
admiring the knife, and she checked all over the story for a cheaper
knife that sported this particular gadget. Despite the fact that the
store was packed with myriads of tourists, to the point that I was
beginning to feel a bit like a sardine, the clerk spend over an hour
locating what I was looking for. Never have I seen such service! I was
thoroughly impressed!
This isn't always the case, unfortunately.
Too often I go to a store, and though the salesclerks always tell me to
let them know if I need any help, when the time comes that I need their
service, they are nowhere to be found. Or, if they can be found, they
direct me in a certain direction and encourage me to find what I am
looking for by myself. I have spent so many hours, if not days, lost in
stores! I have left so many stores without finding what I was looking
for!
Our words are worthless unless our actions testify that they
are true. In fact our actions speak louder than our words.
How
many times haven't we listened to those who promised us the moon, but
delivered hardship instead? How many times weren't we deceived by a
charismatic personality, only to discover that we were grasping at
straws? How many of us have lost most our pensions, deceived by promises
that were too good to be passed up?
No wonder the world is tired
of listening to empty promises. Why should they believe us, if our lives
don't testify that what we are saying is, in fact, really true?
The only way we can continually do good is when we set aside our own
desires and agendas, and start loving like Jesus does. He loves us
eternally, with a sacrificial love that is willing to take the bullet
for those in despair; one that puts the interests of others far above
His own; one that compels us to live the same way. "For Christ's love
compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no
longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised
again." (Cor 5:14-15 NIV)
Are we doers of the Word or are we just
uttering empty words?
"Let me help you. What exactly are you
looking for?"
"The service is outstanding here! I will most
certainly be back!"
Rob Chaffart
When Actions Speak Louder than Our Words: Holding On, Part 2
Today's Bible Verse:
"Hold on to the good." (1 Thess 5:15)
When Actions Speak Louder than Our Words: Holding On, Part 2
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