"Just saying..."

I can be a glutton. Truth is, I love to eat. I enjoy the experience of food. Flavor, texture, color, heat, let me have it! Recently though, I've been convicted about the excesses in my life. Excess food, excess weight (*smirk* that's not related), excess material things, I have so much. I abuse/misuse so much. The thought that I'd someday account for my resources, humbled me. It motivated to pursue a change. I began to examine other areas of my life, ruled by gluttony, physical, and spiritual. I am consuming, knowledge, time, and talents, but am I making the best use of them? The answer was sometimes, and no. 
My time had become a victim of chores, and thrills. What knowledge I possessed, lacked exercise. And my talents had been on hold for years. I felt unfulfilled. It was a chore to face the truth of me. Who am I? How and, why did I allow myself to travel so far off course? If you told me a similar story, as I'm telling you now, I'd have some sound advice, and practical tips. I might even be able, to offer you some resources, to help you get started. Yet, for myself, I was doing nothing. Yes, it felt as hypocritical, as it sounds. Why not apply the same information in my own life? What good is it to know all the words, but neglect the application? There are so many ways to do this. We can do it in relationships, with our health, in our careers, with God. We know what we OUGHT to do, but we don't do. We have amassed an arsenal of information, quotes, techniques, but no action. Busy with the words of life, while neglecting the true works of life.We are stuffed to the gills with knowledge, but no action. We are fat to the point of sloppiness with talents, but no actions. Gluttony! We have spent our time, sitting at life's buffet, gorging ourselves with knowledge, talents, and ability, but we lack exercise. What will it take to move you? How long before we apply truth to our lives in a radical way?
     For me, this lesson was cleansing.  Freedom. It meant, I could let go of my pursuit of knowing to be wise, in exchange for doing, which IS wise. I finally understood, my beliefs are not my words. My beliefs is my behavior. To speak one thing, but habitually preform another, is to be a liar by deed. It's better to know one truth that I live, than fifty I've never applied. I'd rather maintain a few principles with abandon, than know many in theory. In my life, I've seen that knowledge eventually meets experience. In those moments, I have an opportunity to chose a noble response in both word, and deed. If, and when I'm tested, my hope is that what I DO, proves who I SAY I am. I want my life to reflect a union between my words, and my works.  It's not merely the preaching of the thing that matters. It is the practice. I've committed myself to more walking, less talking, until God calls me home. At that point, I'll answer to Him. I doubt, He'll be so impressed by my words...