Actions louder than....

Wow, I could have not chosen better words to share with my class during devotions today. It was the last day completely together. Tomorrow, we will have devotions, but then it is ALL school stuff. So today was my last day to be wrapped in Jesus' arms with them, to get some 'meat' along with our daily bread.

And that is exactly what we read today, Our Daily Bread. It was titled 'Actions Speak Louder' and used scripture from Matthew 9:1-8

It had a quote, "Don't tell me what you're going to do- tell me what you've done." This was perfect in the fact that all year we have been talking about showing and sharing Christ's love without saying anything. Spreading outrageous, contagious JOY. Especially at the end of school..........I don't know how many times I have said, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth "(1 John 3:18 NIV) to them.

ODB concluded with this:
Jesus' actions supported His words, and so should ours. John wrote, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18). What we say is significant to a watching world only if it's consistent with what we do. As we tell people about Christ's love, those words will communicate powerfully if surrounded by acts of love and kindness. Actions do speak louder!

Verse 6 in Matthew 9 says, "Get up, take your mat and go home." This is the part that spoke to me..........and I don't know how to explain how it did, but at the time I read it it was as if God was saying this exactly to me. I think it spoke volumes when I consider two conversations I have had with other people in regard to this exact scripture in the past year. It was a beautiful moment with Him and a finish for me, it is time to get up and go home. Numerous other things surrounding this week add to why it was perfect for such a time as this. If that makes any sense!?

I want to add that after I read this I remembered that in my Bible I have written: People will listen to you carefully, if they see you living faithfully. This is written by 1 Peter 2:15, "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men."

Thank you Lord, for making one of our last daily breads together be exactly what you have been trying to teach my students all year. And thanks for putting a finish to my time here as well.

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 106:1