Actions Speak Louder Than Intentions

Actions Speak Louder Than Intentions

Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

James 1:22

There is an old adage that comes to mind as I contemplate what it means to be an intentional doer of good: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

How many times have I felt a nudge in my soul to call someone who is going through a rough time and to give to them out of my resources—time, energy, or money—only to blow it off? Probably more times than I would care to admit.

Let’s face it: it’s often inconvenient to take time and energy out of our already too-busy days and nights and weekends to answer those nudges. I’ve been there too often, I’ll admit it. But whenever I answer those nudges—when I say yes and stop in the midst of my busy life to meet someone else in a moment of need—I never, ever regret it.

It is not enough to have good intentions; we must practice putting Scripture into action, as James warns us. We must follow through on our intentions and translate our thoughts into physical, tangible deeds. If we don’t, we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are living scripturally. It’s not always easy to put kindness into action, but it can certainly be simple.

We are each called to be a light upon the hill. We are called to be salt and light to the world and to be generous with our lives. When we get that nudge to help someone else, we have the choice to ignore it. But our intentional, positive response to that nudge may well be a defining moment in the life of another. We may be invited to be the reflection of Christ to that one person, in that one moment. Often it is not grand gestures that change the world, but the small things—the heart-to-heart, one-on-one moments—that have the most profound impact.

—Julie

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

What have you been thinking or talking about doing lately? Put those intentions into action.