"Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right." Proverbs 20:11
We are all known by our actions. It is a true statement that our actions speak louder than our words. We look around us at society and shake our head and wonder how things could have gotten so bad. Sex scandals in the church, politicians that are concerned more about themselves than their constituents, and kids killing kids. How could things have gotten so out of hand?
What it boils down to is our communication. People will look at what you do rather than listen to what you say. This especially applies to children. As children grow up they are influenced more by the communication of action than they are by words. Take for example a father who tells his son or daughter that it is wrong to lie, then the phone rings and he tells them to answer it and if it's for him, he isn't there. Or how about the mother who tells her children that it is bad to smoke and they should never do it...as she is lighting one up herself. God is telling us that our conduct can often be in direct conflict with what we say. In turn this generates confusion and uncertainty as our kids are growing up. No wonder they make a lot of bad choices.
It reminds me of a clown skit that we do at parades. It's called the Farmer and the Chicken skit. It starts out where a clown is pretending to hoe his garden and a bunch of clowns come clucking around him and trampling his imaginary garden. He stops them and asks them what they are doing. They say they are chickens. He asks them why they believe that and they say that they have been in the hen house all day. He promptly tells them in clown fashion that doesn't make them a chicken. They come back again as airplanes because they've been at the airport all day and as a train because they have been at the depot.
Here's the punch line. The last thing they come back as are Christians. When asked why they believe that they are Christians, they'll give a reply like 'I read my Bible' or 'I go to Church' or even 'I've been baptized. But in the end none of that makes them a Christian. They are'n't bad things to get on the right track, but you can't be called 'Christian' just because you do them. What? You say. What do you mean that doesn't make me a Christian? That's right. It doesn't. You know what makes you a Christian? It's that you have accepted and confessed that Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the cross as the Son of God for your sins and rose again. By believing that, you have asked Him for forgiveness of all your sins and have given your life over to him. That makes you a Christian.
What does this entire dialogue have to do with the scripture and our actions? Too many people claim to be Christians, but have no fruit to show. They go to church, put money in the offering, and then live like the rest of the world till they go to church again. No wonder people look at Christianity and shake their heads in frustration. Most Christians don't act or look any different than non-Christians. Until we change this around, we will not be able to attract the lost to the saving Grace of God.
When God says that 'even a child is known' He is implying that as a matter of course adults are known by their actions. There is no escaping that. So what do your actions say about you as a Christian?
Jay Rohman has worked in Singles and Youth ministry for over 15 years. He has designed a seminar on "Communicating Wisely" presented by Professor Yaj using clowning and illusions.