Few dreams come true by themselves. The test of a person lies in action. No one ever stumbled onto something big while sitting down. Even a mosquito doesn’t get a slap on the back until it starts to work. A famous anonymous poem states,
Sitting still and wishing makes no person great,
The good Lord sends the fishing, but you must dig the bait.
“As [Jesus] was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, ‘God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that gave you suck!’ He replied, ‘Yes, but even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice’” (Luke 11:27 TLB). A doer of God’s Word is even more blessed than the mother of Jesus.
Realize nothing is learned while you talk. Words without actions are the assassins of dreams. The smallest good deed is better than the greatest intention. History is made whenever you take the right action. Action is the proper fruit of knowledge. Getting an idea should be like sitting on a tack: it should make you jump up and do something.
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest” (Prov. 6:6–8). Nothing preaches better than an ant, even though it says nothing. You earn respect by action; inaction earns disrespect.
You should hunt for the good points in people. Remember, they have to do the same in your case . . . so do something to help them.
A middle-aged man found himself in front of the pearly gates. St. Peter explained that it’s not so easy to get into heaven. There are some criteria before entry is allowed.
St. Peter asked if the man was religious in life. Did he attend church? The man answered, “No.” St. Peter told him that was bad.
Was he generous? Did he give money to the poor or to charities? Again the answer was “No.” St. Peter told him that was not good.
Did he do any good deeds? Help his neighbor? Anything? Still, his answer was “No.” St. Peter was becoming concerned.
Exasperated, Peter said, “Look, everybody does something nice sometime. Work with me, I’m trying to help. Now think!”
The man paused and said, “There was this old lady. I came out of a store and found her surrounded by a dozen Hell’s Angels. They had taken her purse and were shoving her around, taunting and cursing her.
“I got so mad I threw my bags down, fought through the crowd, and got her purse back. I helped her to her feet. I then went up to the biggest, baddest biker and told him how despicable, cowardly, and mean he was and then spat in his face.”
“Wow!” said Peter. “That’s impressive. When did this happen?”
“Oh, about two minutes ago,” replied the man.
Some people find life an empty dream because they put nothing into it. Every time one person expresses an idea, you can find ten others who thought of it before—but took no action. Mark Twain once said, “Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but it is lightning that does the work.” The test of this book is not the reader saying “What an inspiring book!” but “I will do something!”
The devil is willing for you to confess faith as long as you don’t practice it. When praying, we must simultaneously be willing to take the action God directs in the answer to our prayer. The answers to your prayers will include action. Action is attached to answers and miracles.
The Bible tells us action gives life to our faith (see James 2:26). “Even a child is known by his doings” (Prov. 20:11). Many churchgoers are singing “Standing on the Promises” when all they are doing is sitting on the premises. Too many people carefully avoid discovering the secret of success because deep down they suspect the secret may be hard work.
Act now on God’s direction.