ACTIONS DO SPEAK LOUDER
PROVERBS 20:11
PROVERBS 20:11 NKJ
11 Even a child is known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.
OBSERVATION:
We have all heard the old adage that actions speak louder than words. It may sound like an old saying that has been passed down for years and is out of date. It is an old saying, and it has been passed down for years because it is true.
In a day where someone's 'brand' is the biggest selling point on social media platforms, this proverb seems antiquated. In our media driven world, someone is known by their brand. And what's good and right is the image portrayed. While this may be true in the short term, it will not hold up in the long run.
Even a child is known by his deeds. From the perspective of biblical wisdom, this is how a person is really understood. Not by their words or their image, or their managed brand. A person is known by what they do. Their actions define who they really are.
Also, it appears that children have the capacity to do what is pure and right. We can tell if someone is a good kid not by what their parents say but rather by what they do as children.
APPLICATION:
Over the years, a phrase I have heard in Christian circles is, "but they have a good heart."
This phrase typically comes on the heels of some significant character flaw.
They have a good heart, but they will steal from you. They have a good heart, but they will talk trash about you behind your back. Uhh NO! The only way I can truly tell if someone has a "good heart" is by looking at their actions and accompanying fruit. Not by what others say or by their attractive appearance. I can know them by what they do.
This is a reason we look at resumes. I know people can lie, so I want to be able to gauge what they have done in life.
Some people are quite charming, but that's not what I need to know first. I need to know what you have done. And I am looking for what is pure and right. If this principle is true for children it is certainly true for adults.