Talk is cheap, action is expensive.
Faith without works is dead. Works are the natural, inevitable, voluntary result of faith in God. If we love Him, if we follow Him, if we belong to Him…He will produce good works in us…period. I know this isn’t a new concept, but it is one I think we talk about more than we live out.
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a 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 3:16-18 (NLT)
John is simply saying that if we truly love God we will truly love one another. That love is expressed through compassion. But he goes a step further than that. It is one thing to say we have compassion for someone. It is quite another to show we have compassion for someone by doing something to help.
Talk is cheap, action is expensive. James wrote something similar:
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? James 2:14-16 (NLT)
Talk is cheap, action is expensive. Or is it? Paul reminds us of one thing we sometimes forget when it comes to showing compassion through giving to others.
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NLT)
When I take God out of the equation, action is expensive. If I give $1 to someone, I have one less dollar to spend on myself. If I give an hour of time to someone, I have one less hour for myself. If I am generous to others, I have less for myself.
But that isn’t how it works. God is in the equation. He is the one that provides the dollars and the hours, not us. He provides and increases our resources. If we give, and give generously, He will be sure we have enough to give even more.
So, talk is cheap…but so is action. Let’s not just talk about our compassion for others, let’s act on that compassion. Let’s not just feel compassion for others, let’s show it. Today. Right now.
