Do Actions Really Speak Louder Than Words?

When someone tells you they’ll do something do you believe? Only to realize their words weren’t aligned with their actions. Words are cheap if you don’t back them up be actions. Our faith in others comes from whether they do what they say they will.

It’s what inside of us that comes out of us. Our behavior flows out of our hearts. And we have the power over what is inside of us. We have a choice in what we say and do.

The phrase “actions speak louder than words” has a rich history. But is it true? Do actions really speak louder than words?

The answer is both yes and no. To find out why we need to look at the history of the proverb, and what really matters to God.

The Origin Of This Phrase

This proverb dates back to the 1550’s. It began with different wording and has changed throughout time. A French writer named Michel de Montaigne said “Saying is one thing and doing is another.”

Over a century later (1668), a Englishman names J. Pym wrote a variation. That said, “A word spoken in season is like an Apple of Gold set in Pictures of Silver, and action are more precious that words.”

In 1735 A.M. Davis penned another variation saying, “Actions speak louder than words and are more to be regarded.”

Mark Twain (1835-1910) has his own version as well, He put it like this: “Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.”

All these forms of the proverb illustrate a stark difference between words and action, giving weight to actions.

What The Bible Says

The Bible has much to say about actions and words. In Matthew 21, Jesus uses a story to illustrate how actions speak louder than words.

Jesus’s his story is about to sons whose father told them to go and work in his vineyard. Once said no, he would not go. The other said yes. However the one who said no change his mind and went to work, the one who had said yes, did not go. Jesus and the story with a question, “which of the two did the will of his father?”

The son who said yes but did not follow through failed to love and honor his father. The Apostle John put it this way: “ my little children, let us not love with the word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth.”(1 John 3:18).

Titus delivers a stern word about actions that contradict what is said. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him“ (Titus 1:16).

This is known as hypocrisy (behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe). Hypocrisy has a smell that repels. “ your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear what you are saying” – Ralph Waldo Emerson).

James addresses this “words and actions thing” by connecting it to faith because it takes faith to obey God, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without actions is dead” (James 2:26).

When looking at these Scriptures, do you find your actions betray you at times? Of course, they will because you are human. This is where what matters to God the mold comes in.

What Matters Most To God

It may sound by what you have read so far the actions are the end all, but that isn’t true. Consider the words of Jesus regarding a certain widow’s actions and others who had the same “action.”

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watch the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people through in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put two very small copper coins, worthy only of a few cents. Calling his disciples to him Jesus said, “truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all of the others. They all gave out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty, put in everything – she at all she had to live on” (Mark 12:41-44).

Both gave offerings but instead of the action being the focus, Jesus saw him through the widow’s heart, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Paul instruct us to swing into the Lord and everything we do and say, “And whatever you do, and work or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” ( Colossians 3:17).

John reveals the heart of the matter I would love being in a person.

If someone has enough money to live well and see if his brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children , let’s not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3: 17-18).

Jesus said is what’s on the inside that comes out of us. This means our behavior flows out of our hearts. And he also states that we have the power over what is inside us – we have a choice.

Are Self-Righteous? Is God Against It?

The dictionary defines being self-righteous as one who convinced of their own righteousness, especially in contract with the actions and belief’s of others. Believing that your ideas and behavior are morally better than those of other people.

But what does the Bible say? Why should believers avoid Self-Righteousness. The Bible states that these people have characteristics that are usually found to believe that they are superior to most, if not all, people. People who think they are “holier than thou.”

The Bible tells us to not judge but to love. Take the plank out of our own eye before we try to take the speck out of our brother or sisters eye.

To fully understand what the Bible tells us about self-righteousness, we need to look at a few examples of self-righteous people from the Bible and how it ultimately led them away from God and His will.

King Solomon

Although the wisdom of Solomon was world-renowned, Solomon had a downfall. He had too many wives, many who were from other countries and therefore had their own gods and demanded proper worship from Solomon. This ultimately went against God’s commands. In 1 Kings 11, we see this at its full extent:

“The Lord did not want the Israelites to worship foreign gods, so he had warned them not to marry anyone who was not from Israel… As Solomon got older, some of his wives led him to worship their gods. He wasn’t like his father David,who had worshipped only the Lord God. Solomon also worshipped Astarte the goddess of Ammon. Solomon’s father had obeyed the Lord with all His heart, but Solomon disobeyed and did what the Lord hated. Solomon hilt shrines on a hill east of Jerusalem to worship Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Molech the disgusting god of Ammon. In fact he built a shrine for each of his foreign wives, so all of them could burn incense and offer sacrifices to their own gods.”

Solomon

Jonah

The second example is the Prophet Jonah. Jonah was at the top of his game as Israel’s prophet. But when God called him to the unthinkable, Jonah thought he could run and hide from the Creator of the Universe.

Even after everything he went through, with the whale, he was surprised that the Ninevites repented and turned to the Lord. He has so upset that God did not spite such a wicked people, that God showed them mercy and grace.

In the account of Jonah, God told him to go the the great city of Nineveh and speak out against it. God told Jonah that He was aware of how wicked it’s people were, but Jonah set out in the opposite direction in order to get away from the Lord. In Joppa he found a ship about to go to Spain. He paid his fare and went aboard with the crew just to get away from the Lord.

Sanhedrin

These were The who gave false evidence against Jesus because they were too proud to accept that they had faults and not representing the Lord as they were called, this account is seen in Matthew 26:57-67.

The Pharisees

One of the most famous examples of self-righteous people were the Pharisees. Jesus always made an example of self-righteousness, and one of the most renowned parables He told was about the Pharisees told in Luke 18:10-14,

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people- robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. As he prayed this, the other man the tax collector standing at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home and was justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Peter

The last and the best example is the Apostle Peter. Who could forget Peter’s assurance to Jesus that he would never betray Him only to betray Him 3 times in a row, as stated in Luke 22:58-62.

But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still insisted, saying “Certainly this man also was with Jesus for he too is a Galilean. But Pete said, “Man I do not know what your talking about, “ and immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And thee Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said ti him, “before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

No one on earth is any better than another. No matter the color or language we speak we all bleed the same and we all have feelings, and reactions. God is the only judge. We are called to love each other. Sadly today there are many who think they are better than others because of financial status, and race. We are all born the same way, and we all will return to ash when we die.

How Do We Humble Ourselves?

James 4:19 states, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” This is the most authentic way to remember that we are not better than anyone else. We must constantly look at ourselves with humility so that we don’t think we are better than those around us. We must strive and work in prayer to see ourselves accurately as the fallen sinners we are by nature, in need of Christ our Redeemer.

We have to accept that we make mistakes and stumble. This was the mistake of Sanhedrin and Peter. They did not accept that they could stumble, and ultimately that was their downfall, but the truth is that they could indeed stumble and have faults.

We must accept that we are merely humans and need God to lead us to the path of righteousness. It is not our own mind or being that makes us holy, but only God and God alone will defend us from our sins.

God does not play favorites. Each and everyone of us is unique in the eyes of God, and that is what we should never look down on others, but instead look at ourselves and contemplate if we are worthy of God’s love.

The Prophet Word For Year 5783

On God’s calendar starting today (September 26-2022) it is the years 5783. It’s a Sabbatical year.Some say it’s a Jubilee year, but that it only sanctified when “all who live in Israel are living there.”

This year suddenly we will see it, suddenly the vengeance of God will spring forth on our behalf. The word whiplashed came to mind. A large turning of heads.

The lower we can humble ourselves this year the higher the Lord will lift us up.

We should guard against “Presumption.” Remembering that faith is not faith if it doesn’t demonstrate wisdom.

The Prophetic Words For 5783

1. The latter rain outpouring begins not with the worldwide outpouring of. God’s Spirit but with financial provision.

The definition of Provisions are funds that are set aside for specific probable future expenses or other financial impacts such as losses in value

2. The culmination of seasons with fasting and prayer in which God’s people have engaged throughout the calendar year of 2022.

3. The impossible will become impossible. Suddenly things that were not possible will become suddenly possible.

4. We will see the fury of God move on our behalf. “For the day of vengeance is in my heart. I have looked but there was no one to help. No one to uphold, therefore my own arm will bring salvation for me abs my own fury will be sustain me ( Isaiah 64:3-4). The Lord sees there is not hope before us – our prayers and fasting have risen before Him like a sweet offering. These things have not be done in vain.

5. It will be a year of humbling ourselves, but we need to seek God with a continued favor.

6. God will continue to purify us -seek His wisdom and pursue it.

Wisdom is the principle thing for this year

The Call Of The Trumpet

Today at sundown, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins. God made clear that this was a day to be celebrated and remembered each year. It was important to Him, a day when His o were to bring a special offering.

This was one f His appointed feasts (Leviticus 23:4-25). During his last days as their leader, Moses made sure the Joshua and the people understood the importance of the day.

This day was also Known as the “Festival of Trumpets” because of th symbolic role played by trumpets. The day was filled with the sound of trumpets calling the people to shake ofor their spiritual drowsiness. A precise number of notes were sounded, and each note had specific symbolic meaning.

Everything led up to the “Day of Atonement,” which took place 10 days after Rosh Hashanah. During this time, the people searched their lives, repented of their sins, and prepared themselves for that day.

All of us need a trumpet sounded in our lives. We could all use a new beginning. Too easily we adapt to the world’s standards and sin. We need God to shine His search into our minds and hearts, and we need to repent for our sins.

Ask God to search your heart. Humble yourself before Him. Ask Him to cleanse you from sin, unclean thoughts, impure motives, and pride. Ask Him to help you be clean in His sight.

Father God,

Sound a trumpet in my life. Show me if I have done or said anything that displeases You. I want to be clean before you. In Jesus Name, Amen

There is no better time, than today to ask these things in Jesus Name. With today being God’s Appointed Day of celebration.

Shalom Peace to you, this New Year of Rash Hashanah. 5783