Saturday, 19 March 2016

We Live What We Believe

I hear so often that the things I do should be a reflection of the things I believe. I heard it today in a different fashion, and while I know that the moment a word leaves my mouth I am no longer in control of its meaning, I trust I can express the difference I heard today in a way that can be understood by those who might read this.

In the past, this comment (in its numerous iterations) has been a warning to consider the actions of my life in light of the things I am supposed to consider of major import. If I claim to value relationships, my actions need to nurture and encourage relationships, both extant and new. If I claim to value education, I need to live a life of learning. The examples could be endless, but the main point is that the things I do need to be adjusted to match the things I believe. Think about what I believe, and then act accordingly.

When I heard the expression today, I was stuck by the thought that my actions always reflect my beliefs. They may not reflect my theology – what I claim to believe – but they do reflect my actual beliefs. As a former mentor of mine was fond of saying, “We always do what we want.” I would amend that slightly and say that our actions reflect our beliefs, not just our desires.

What do your actions reveal about your beliefs?

This is a re-post of my WordPress Blog from Feb 5, 2016.

No comments:

Post a Comment