Talk Is Cheap Part 2

I actually wrote my poem before reading this passage. God just worked it out that this was what I read next. He's so cool.

2Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"
4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7And the man got up and went home. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. - Matthew 9:2-8 (NIV)

It is much easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," than to say, "Stand up and walk". For when you say that someone sins are forgiven, you can't actually see that. But to tell someone to stand up and walk would require them to actually do it! It's a little thing I like to call "action". Oh, all that talk about forgiving sins and talking a good game is easy. People can't tell if your sins are really forgiven. Bet tell somebody to walk, and they don't do it? Hoo boy, you're in trouble! There's not only not any action, but there's no visible action. People can see that you're a phony, a fake, a hypocrite.

Fortunately, Jesus is not phony, fake, or a hypocrite. His words carried his authority. The man actually got up and walked. And his sins were forgiven. Talk is cheap, but the cost of following Jesus is not. We can talk about it all we want, but until we actually (I guess I found the italic button, huh?) get up and walk, and put some action behind our words, then we're just wasting our time. And the time of others. And God's time.

O, God, I don't want to take the easy way out and just talk. I know the cost is high to follow you, but I also know the cost is high to say I do and not. Forgive me when that happens. I'm sorry. I repent of my lazy ways. Help me to get up and walk this day. I love you.



Soli Deo Gloria