As an athlete uses a ball so do many of us use words: words spoken and words sung, words written and words uttered in prayer. We throw them swiftly across the field; we learn to handle them with dexterity and grace; we build reputations upon our word-skill and gain as our reward the applause of those who have enjoyed the game. But the emptiness of it is apparent from the fact that after the pleasant religious game no one is basically any different from what he had been before.<\/i> 1<\/p>\n
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\u2026 we modern Christians are long on talk and short on conduct.2<\/p>\n
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We settle for words in religion because deeds are too costly. It is easier to pray, \u201cLord, help me to carry my cross daily\u201d than to pick up the cross and carry it; but since the mere request for help to do something we do not actually intend to do has a certain degree of religious comfort, we are content with repetition of the words.3<\/p>\n
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How then shall we escape the snare of words without deeds?<\/p>\n
It is simple, though not easy. First, let us say nothing we do not mean. Break the habit of conventional religious chatter. Speak only as we are ready to take the consequences. Believe God\u2019s promises and obey His commandments. Practice the truth and we may with propriety speak the truth. Deeds give body to words. As we do acts of power our words will take on authority and a new sense of reality will fill our hearts.4<\/p>\n
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We are moral beings and as such we must accept the consequence of every deed done and every word spoken.<\/p>\n
We cannot act apart from the concept of right and wrong.5<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As an athlete uses a ball so do many of us use words: words spoken and words sung, words written and words uttered in prayer. We throw them swiftly across the field; we learn to handle them with dexterity and grace; we build reputations upon our word-skill and gain as our reward the applause of … Continue reading “WORD
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