By looking at the clothes people wear, you can quickly see what job they do. A man wearing two tone clothes is most likely a farmer. Someone with a white coat, a doctor. Someone with oiled overalls is a mechanic. 

Without them speaking a word you get a good idea of the work they do. Similarly, people’s actions can also reveal who they are inside. As soon as you start doing something, you open the door of your heart for everyone to see what it looks like inside. 

I’ve seen how angry people get in a store just because the product they’re looking for is out of stock. They throw their half-full basket down on the spot and storm out of the store! The person’s angry actions surprise everyone else. 

Everybody notices that person’s heart and shakes their head. Maybe something happened in the person’s life before they had walked into the store, but to act like that is not how you treat your fellow man. 

So of course, our actions also tell the story of what we believe in. If people walk over other people, if people don’t give other people a chance, you wonder whether that person is a child of God. With such a person things do not match … 

4If someone claims, “I know him well!” but doesn’t keep his commandments, he’s obviously a liar. His life doesn’t match his words.  

I know we’re still under construction. The day we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we didn’t suddenly simply start living exactly according to God’s will for us. 

We must do our best to live like Jesus, even when things don’t go as planned. If we do not, we are liars, and our lives do not match the word truth. 

Giepie sent me this saying: “What you’re doing, speak so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying”. Isn’t that just so true? Your actions make people’s ears deaf to what comes from your mouth. 

We need to make sure our actions match our faith and don’t make us look like liars. 

Instead, let our actions tell a story of those forgiven and redeemed, once destined for eternal death but now, by God’s grace, found in Christ and set on a path to eternal life. 

May others see Jesus through my actions today and may I live the truth in this way. So help me, Father. 

Scripture
1 John 2:3-9 

Reflection
What words do your actions shout?
Do you always manage to shout Jesus’ name through your actions?
Or do you have to live differently in some instances? 

Prayer
Father, help me not to say much today, but to speak through my actions only. My actions that honour You. Amen.