Walk your talk

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18 NIV)

The path of words is often much easier to take than that of action. But if words are not backed up by action, they can be empty and useless.

When I was a kid, I took great pleasure in correcting and preaching to my family and friends. But most of the time, they had the last laugh, since I would often turn right around and do the exact opposite of what I was telling them. I was told more than once, “You need to learn to take your own advice.”

Jesus illustrated the importance of backing up what we say with our actions in His classic parable of the two sons. “There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go.” (Matthew 21:28–30)

Although the eldest son verbally disobeyed in the beginning, he later had a change of heart and did his father’s bidding. The second son’s promise to obey his father turned out to be worthless, because he didn’t keep it.

The formula to ensuring your words match your deeds and shining God’s light to those around you is simple: Walk your talk. Be sure of your convictions and principles—and daily put them into action. [1]

Our walk counts far more than our talk, always! - George Mueller

[1] Activated The Walk