Action Not Words
By Justin March
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth: for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
“Cause all I want is some Action, Action, Action, not words. Gimme Action, Action, Action not words.”
Def Leppard “Action Not Words” from the album Pyromania
In just a few hours the Super Bowl will finally be here. Two teams who have fought through adversity, put together the best gameplans, and gave all they had to reach this glorious destination will take the field. It will be an experience like none other for these groups of players and coaches, and once that final whistle blows, one team will be standing tall while the other will need to learn what it takes to deal with defeat.
All week I have been watching the media hype up the Super Bowl. It does only come once a year and is quite the achievement for the two teams involved. But what I have noticed, especially after reading the verse from Jeremiah above, is there sure is a lot of boasting coming from both sides. Nothing has actually been done yet, but that doesn’t keep the players and coaches from bragging about their achievements to this point.
The media likes to hype up what can be super about this event. They tell us how great both teams are. They tell us how strategic the coaches gameplans will be. They brag about the physical prowess of the players, the beauty of the stadium, and the glamorous events that precede the big game. And they even go on and on about what companies will have the best commercials this year. I get it, and I can just as easily buy into the hype as much as the next person, but there is something missing from all this commotion.
Where is the action? I am hearing a lot of boastful words, but they are not backed by anything I can physically see. Neither of these teams know what the outcome will be, yet they stand tall and want to tell us all about how great they are. Are we really supposed to believe their words or follow their direction without actually witnessing their actions?
I sometimes feel like this, as a Christian, in today’s skeptical society. I can easily boast about how great God is, tell people about all the Bible passages I know, or preach to them about the mistakes they are making. I can brag about the charities we donate to, the number of times we go to church, and the prayer life we practice. But does any of this matter if the person I am trying to reach is only hearing the words being spoken instead of witnessing the actions being done?
Jesus did not walk this earth boasting about the miracles he could perform. He just did them. He did not put the rich and wealthy on a pedestal. He gave to the poor. And he did not hang out with the righteous, pure, and self-proclaimed Christians of his time. He searched for the lost and longed to bring them closer to the cross. You see, Jesus did use his words to testify his Fathers’ messages, but he backed them up with actions that could be witnessed by all. And it was in these actions where people became faithful and were drawn to follow his incredible path.
As you begin your week, remember to let your actions be super. This lost society is hungry for the truth and thirsty for the answers. Many are searching for a purpose and struggling to find their way. But they will not understand that Jesus can make them whole by words alone. They must see us walking with faith, beaming with light, and humbling ourselves before others. They must see us forgive one another, show grace when we fall, and promote love, unity, and acceptance. And they must witness that our actions are so much stronger than our words when we are trying to bring them closer to Christ.
Just like the Super Bowl, there will come a time when there will be one last play. The whistle will blow, and the results will be in. But unlike the big game, we already know which team will stand tall. It will not be the boastful ones who proclaimed they were better than God and had all the answers. It will be the meek, humble, loving, forgiving, and accepting followers who made Jesus their Savior and accomplished his mission. Not through words, but through actions. And in the end, if we have been “super” in living a life that others can actually witness, the hope of bringing others to the cross will come to fruition giving everyone the chance to win!
