Talk or Walk?

     Talking about things, people or situations that need improvement or correction instead of taking action in our lives to attempt to "be a part of the solution" is futile. Do we live a kitchen table life or a real life? Do we just flap our lips, sounding intelligent by demonstrating everything we know to impress others, or do we actually take steps in real time? Do we offer others answers to the problems of the world or the problems of others, while we ourselves, do nothing?
     While discussion between persons sometimes sparks action, more times than not, it generates discord and prejudice. Even writing about things, can make one think they are contributing to solving things, but I am beginning to realize that it can be a deception used to make us think, that since we care in word and are informed, that we are doing something useful.
     Jesus said that as we truly love Him it will show by our loving others, and that is specifically what I'm referring to, and is what I have recently been convicted about. I have talked a good talk about this, but when a situation presented itself for me to do that, I responded in fear instead of  by reaching out to people who need His love and acceptance. I criticized and even got angry at someone else who could have handled the situation, so that I wouldn't have to deal with my fear.
     Praise God, in one sense, that they didn't handle the situation, because God was speaking to me through it. He was asking me to let His love and acceptance flow through me, and, at first, I denied Him and the ones needing it. Now, though, I have taken a step of repentance, or of turning to Him and His ways, in an attempt to reach out. My stance now is that giving them love by reaching out to them is what He came to do; "not to condemn the world (or the people in it) but to save the world." And He asks us to be a part of this, by releasing the Love He's given us when He came to live inside of us to others; even the outcast and the sinners. We once were those too.
     "Love covers a multitude of sins" and "love never fails." We can do "all things" but if we don't have love, nothing matters.
     Lord, let my talk become my walk. Increase my trust in your power to do it.  Amen.