Talk is Cheap

There are four songs that I literally can’t stop listening to right now.  I try to move on, but they always creep their way back in to my “Now Playing” over and over again.  They are the roll-down-your-window-let-your-hair-get-messed-up-and-sing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs kind of songs, and, most of all, they each ignite the joy that lives within my soul.

One of the songs by Eric Hutchinson has these lyrics:

I’ll go by what you do

Cuz talk is cheap

Today I was reading one of my friends’ writing and remembered how true that is…well, kinda.  There are a lot of times when words are really important.  When we must “be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have.” (1 Peter 3:15)

But if we can’t live like that hope is true, there is no point.

It’s a little bit awkward to bring up this subject in a blog, because that’s exactly what I do here...write, talk.  But truthfully, if I gain wisdom or see something in a new way and I write some fancy words about it or tell a few friends, but I don’t do anything with it, then I wish that I hadn’t even mentioned it.  I am “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

This is convicting for me as I think about my last few weeks at work.  A variety of circumstances has caused me to really have to “lean in” (sometimes there just isn’t a phrase that works as well as Christian-ese) at work lately—work very diligently and for longer hours.  I have found, however, in the midst of this that I take less and less time to invest in the relationships around me.  It’s business as usual with no eternal perspective.  Each day has become an inbox of emails to get through, a meeting agenda to prepare, and a To-Do list to carve away at—no time for real talk or soul-building.

That can’t be.  I refuse to be that girl who writes in her blog but acts like everyone else.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Thank you, Jesus, for your gentle yet powerful conviction.

(In case you’re wondering, here is my 4-song can’t stop-won’t stop playlist: “I Asked You For Life” and “Can I Have More of You” by Kim Walker and “Talk is Cheap” and “Best Days” by Eric Hutchinson)