“If a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,’ but does not provide for their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James, ch. 2, v. 15 – 17*).
The Lord calls us to share His truth with others, but sometimes our actions and behavior contradict the words that come out of our mouths.
Every day, all of us convey something to someone. We send messages through what we say and what we leave unsaid, what we do and refrain from doing. For example, if parents decide to stop tithing their income, this sends a message to the children. Without saying anything, they teach their children that mom and dad do not believe that God is faithful to supply their needs. What our behavior expresses, especially in front of children, speaks much louder than the words we use.
Apostle Paul understood the power of the lessons our actions convey. For this reason, he strived to cultivate proper behavior and values as a model for his spiritual children who observe and emulate (2 Thessalonians, ch. 3, v. 7 – 9).
The issue is not whether we are conveying a message or not. Rather, it is about what the message is that we already carry. Examine yourself for any discrepancy between what you say and what you do, and choose to share consistent, non-contradictory messages of hope with the world.
Link to the original article: https://www.intouchuk.org/read/daily-devotions
* Biblical quotations are from the Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013