Dollars and Pennies

     As I was reading my devotional this morning, I came across a very powerful statement. Charles Spurgeon once said, “A man’s life is always more forcible than his speech. When men take stock of him, they reckon his deeds as dollars and his words as pennies.” What this means is that your actions far outweigh your words. Your words are worthless if your life does not back them up. Philippians 1:27 says to let your conduct be worthy of the gospel. Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.” If our lives do not reflect the words we speak, our words are worthless. 

  I was talking to my son, who recently accepted Christ as his Savior about the importance of clean speech. I read Ephesians 4:29 to him and explained to him the importance of not letting any “corrupt communication” be spoken and how our words should only be used to build people up. I explained how that people watch his actions and if his words and his actions didn’t line up with his profession of faith, it could be a hindrance to the unbeliever, and how it could hurt his testimony.

  Back in the late 1900’s, as my kids call it, there were bracelets with the letters WWJD on them. It stood for What Would Jesus Do?. Feeling nostalgic, I ordered a pack for myself and the family. I gave one to my son, but before I put it on his wrist, I gave him a little encouragement and warning. I told him to let that be a constant reminder to always ask if Jesus would do what he was doing. I told him to always think before acting because people are always watching. 

  I know it sounds cliche, but sometimes you are the only Bible someone reads. Our actions and words should always reflect the light of Christ. Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us.” If our actions don’t line up with our profession, it is detrimental to the unbeliever. I don’t want someone looking at my actions and saying, “Well, if that’s how a Christian acts…” Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Let us walk in the light as He is in the light as 1John1:7 says. Love ya, mean it.