“More than anything else, I think prospects, customers and citizens watch what you do more than they listen to what you say.” – Seth Godin

People respond to our actions more often than our words.  That’s why we use phrases like, “seeing is believing” and “I’ll believe it when I see it” and some other third example that I can’t think of.  This fact applies as much to the message we send as Christians as it does to anything.

That’s what makes Jesus so compelling.  His actions matched his words perfectly.  There was never any contradiction between the two.

I don’t think that can be said for any of us.

For better or worse we live in a world consumed with hypocrisy – both in committing it and in exposing it.  In some ways nothing makes us feel better than pointing out the failures of other people.  After all, when they mess up, why do we need to listen to the things they say?  Especially when we know, deep down, they might have a point.

Recently I read about a new book being published on Francis Schaeffer.  I don’t know a ton about Schaeffer, having never read any of his work, but there’s no way to escape the impact he’s had on Christian thought.  In fact, some consider him on par with CS Lewis.  And as an avid Lewis fan, that’s some high praise!

Here’s the catch – the book, written by Schaeffer’s son, covers some pretty unflattering (some would say shocking) ground.  Is it true?  I have no idea.  But I guess that’s not really the point of this post.

What I do know is that if someone wrote a book about all the times I’ve failed or made mistakes, I’d pretty much look like a monster.  And that probably wouldn’t be too far from the truth.  People are guided by their perceptions.   A fact that’s backed up by countless studies in psychology. 

Frank Schaeffer (jr) viewed his parents not as the Christians their writing said they were, but as something else.  He views them through their actions (or at least as what he saw as their actions) more than through their words.  That’s a lesson we should all remember.  If we act in love and show grace people will believe that God is loving and grace-filled.  If we are judgmental, and mean that’s the image they will have of God.  We each have the power to shape someone’s view of God. 

In the end, I hope that the message I leave behind is one that accurately reflects God’s nature and not my own.  Maybe people aren’t listening to me, but I hope they are watching me.