Radiate!

As water reflects the face,
    so the heart reflects one person to another.

Proverbs 27:19 

 

Have you ever watched a pet see their reflection in the water for the first time?  Child do this too.  They either want to fight with it, play with it, or are afraid of it. I saw a documentary on some tribes in places like New Guinea or deep within the Amazon, who believe their reflection truly reveals their spirit and they also believe that cameras steal their spirit (which is held within the photo).

 

Think about how much time we spend looking into reflective surfaces, making adjustments to our appearance, checking to make sure we didn't spill any of our lunch, are our seams straight (if you are military, check your "gig" line to make sure you are squared away).  We spend vast amounts of time looking at our reflections.

 

One television program I used to watch with so much regularity that I purchased the DVD, was called "Keeping Up Appearances."  The main character's entire life revolved around the appearance of perfection and putting on airs to convince others she was of the "upper crust" of society.

 

However, this devotional is not about what we look like.  Our actions tell more about us than our appearance.   Some of the most physically attractive people have some of the most ugly hearts.  

 

My bride and I watch HGTV and enjoy the home repair programs.  One episode of one of the programs, which is no longer being aired, the home flipper told his crew to paint over the rotting wood so they could sell the house before the rot was discovered, he called it "sugar coating" the house.  How often do we do that?  We want people to see us as more than we are? 

 

Are you caring?  Your actions will prove it.  Are you obnoxious? Your actions will prove it.  

 

Rule of Thumb: "Your Actions Prove You!"   

The Wind

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth. 

1 John 3:18 

 

A boy went to the stream to get a bucket of water for his grandfather's garden, but every time he got to the garden his bucket was empty.  He did this over and over with the same result, always the bucket was empty by the time he got to the garden.  Finally, in frustration he sat on the ground by the garden and yelled, "I DON'T GET IT!"

 

His grandfather came from the other side of the garden, looked at the bucket, then hugged his grandson and said, "Go back to the shed and get the bucket without the hole in the bottom."

 

 Think about this, our empty words are like that bucket....they just don't work.  How many times have we said, "I'm sorry" and those words were nothing more than empty air.  How many times have we said, "I'll pray for you" and were forgotten the very moment they passed out lips. 

 

We are VERY good with using words. Some are extremely eloquent.  Some can offer beautiful words that would convince us of their absolute sincerity, except for one thing...their actions!

 

You've heard the old adage that "Actions Speak Louder Than Words."  It's true!  There was a time when a person's word was their honor, bond, reputation, and was more valuable than gold itself, because when a person SAID they would do something...they PROVED it by DOING it! 

 

And yes, I have a bruise between the eyes on this one too: If you aren't willing to do what you say, then don't say it. 

If You Say It...Prove It!

Just say a simple, ‘Yes,’ or ‘No,’ 

Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

Matthew 5:37

Words! We use them all the time.  In fact, many of the words we speak are so automatic that they have lost most, if not all, of their meaning.  When asked "How are you doing?" our automatic response is usually "Fine."  What does that really mean?

 

We are quick to spin our words so that we appear either the "victim" or the "hero" depending on the situation.  Why? It's uncomfortable for us to actually take responsibility for our words and actions, so we seek to deflect responsibility OR we seek to gain adoration by spinning our words to make us appear more than we are.

 

Would it be nice to be able to "Say what we mean, and mean what we say"?  Want to know what's stopping us from doing just that? Look in the mirror!

 

One of the lessons that was drilled into my rock hard stubborn noggin was "If you say it, PROVE IT!"  If I said I was going to do something, I was expected (and required) to actually do it.   As a result, I have come to expect the same of others.  

 

Think about this:  

     *   How many times have I said "I'm praying for you" or "I'll pray for you"?  And was that word kept?

     *   How many times have we promised to make changes and then slip right back into our comfort zones?

 

Think of your spouse....have you ever not been honest with them?  Can you talk with them about anything and everything (even if it is painful or you know it will upset them)? 

 

Jesus tells us to keep it simple!  If you mean "Yes" then simply say "Yes."  If you mean "No" then simply say "No."  On our abundance of words or absence of words our reputations are build.

 

My mentor told me many years ago, "Words without meaning are wasted breath."  Thus, if you say it.....PROVE IT!