Actions That Match What You Say

Actions That Match What You Say

Growing up, I often heard the expression, “Do as I say, not as I do.” For many years, it sounded like nothing more than a common saying, but as time passed, I began to understand the sorrow hidden within those words. How easy it is to know what is right and yet fail to live accordingly. We can speak truth, offer wise advice, and point others in the right direction, while our own hearts remain untouched by the very things we proclaim. 

Perhaps this contradiction is more common than we would like to admit. There are corners of our hearts where truth has settled in our minds but has never truly taken root. We can learn Scripture, discuss theology, and even encourage others in their walk with God, all while harboring areas of pride, fear, and unbelief. Outwardly, everything appears to be in order, but then God, in His mercy, allows circumstances to expose what has long remained hidden.

And when that moment comes, we are confronted with ourselves. The knowledge we once carried so confidently is tested, and we discover whether it has merely informed our minds or transformed our hearts. It is a painful realization to recognize our own hypocrisy, yet such moments are gifts of grace, for they invite us to return to the Lord with humility and examine the foundation of our faith.

In John’s Gospel, we encounter a royal official from Capernaum who travels to Galilee seeking Jesus. He does not come clothed in authority or position, but in desperation—as a father pleading for the life of his dying son. He walks nearly twenty miles with a burden no parent would ever wish to bear, hoping that Jesus will come and heal his child.

Jesus answers him with words that search the depths of the heart: “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” 

We are left to wonder: What brought this man to Jesus? Was it genuine faith, or merely the reports he had heard about the first miracle? Did he come because he knew who Jesus was, or because he hoped that Jesus might solve his problem? Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between, much like our own journeys of faith.

Yet the father persists. He begs Jesus to come before his son dies. But Jesus does not accompany him. Instead, He gives him something far more difficult than a visible miracle: a promise.

“Go; your son lives.”

Scripture tells us something remarkable: “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.”

He believed—and he went.

That small word, and, reveals something profound. Faith is not simply agreeing with God’s words; it is walking in obedience when the outcome is still unseen. It is taking the next step when questions remain unanswered. It is trusting Christ’s voice more than our own fears.

I often wonder what that journey back to Capernaum must have been like. Did doubts creep into his mind? Did he question whether he had misunderstood Jesus? Did hope and fear wrestle within him as he walked? We are not told. What we do know is that he continued on his way, holding fast to the promise he had received.

And before he reached home, his servants came to meet him with joyful news: his son was alive and well.

How often the Lord calls us to walk before He allows us to see. We long for certainty, explanations, and immediate answers, but God frequently asks us to trust His word first. The royal official received the miracle only after he had chosen to believe.

Our lives are no different. It is easy to say that we trust God when everything is going well, but true faith is revealed in the choices we make when His plans remain hidden from us. Faith must move beyond our lips and shape the way we live. Our actions testify to what we truly believe.

The story of this royal official reminds us that faith is more than knowledge about Jesus—it is surrender to Jesus. It is allowing His truth to descend from our minds into our hearts, transforming not only what we say, but also how we walk.

May we not be content with a faith that speaks eloquently yet remains distant from obedience. Instead, may we hear the words of Christ, believe them, and go on our way, resting in the One who is always faithful.