I don’t know about you, but I enjoy talking, especially about things I either really like, or things I really DISLIKE. You get me going about some of my big likes, the Chicago Cubs (especially this season!), bicycling, and ministry and it’s hard to get me to stop. Unfortunately, I can go on and on about things I dislike. Sometimes that’s not a bad thing, because I’m talking about things I’d love to see eradicated from this world: poverty, people who do not know Jesus, and the self-centeredness of our culture. Sadly, I can also spend WAY too much time doing things like whining, hold a self-pity party, and complaining about others. The problem with all of this talking is this: it really does not accomplish anything! Yet, most of us spend hours and hours complaining about all of the problems in our life and in our world, and far less on doing something about it.
Let’s be honest, if we took action as much as we talk and complain we would pretty much eliminate the problems of this world. If you’ve never read the first chapter of the Book of Haggai I’d really encourage you to do so. In the first chapter God uses the prophet Haggai to urge the people to stop talking and start doing. Haggai served God 18 years after the people of Israel had returned from exile in Babylon. Right after their return they started rebuilding God’s Temple, but soon stopped. Instead of building the temple they spent their time, money, and energy building luxurious houses for themselves and focusing on their own wants and desires. They would often talk about building the Temple, but they never actually did the work. They’d also complain about the conditions things were in, but again they never did anything about it. Haggai stood before the people and simply said this: go up into the woods, cut down trees for lumber, and do the work! Basically, stop yapping about it, and start doing it! We all need to do that more in our lives. We see problems in our homes, community, and world, and spend a lot of time talking (read: complaining!) about them. What would happen if, instead of our constant talking, we actually took action? What if we started sharing the gospel with the unreached, gave to the poor and needy, volunteered in the ministry of our church, and met needs we saw with love? I’m here to tell you THAT would make much more of an impact then our words. What will you do today to be a blessing to God and others in a world with such big needs?
