Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Peter Marshall
What Matters More Are Your Deeds, Not Their Size
One of the biggest problems with being a human being is that we often think in relative terms. We think that bigger is always better; we think that newer is always better. We feel that we’re only as good as how we perform now, compared to the past.
While there is some value to come of this thinking, it is very easy to miss the forest from the trees. In Christian living, what matters in not the size of your deeds, but the fact that you do the deeds at all. As the book of James says, faith without works is dead. There’s no point in saying that Christ is your Lord and Savior when your life doesn’t reflect it. There’s no point in telling people that you’re born again, but there is no change in your life.
Real faith is transformative. Real faith involves a journey, and this journey means that when we start out at point A and end up at point Z, we are completely different people. That is true faith according to the Bible. Our actions are key part of that. Unfortunately, Christians sometimes fall into this thinking pattern that, ‘Well, if my actions are going to reflect my faith, it’s got to be big.’
Beware Of Christian Analysis Paralysis
The Christian analysis paralysis is this thinking that for your Christian deeds to truly matter, they have to be big and you have to go out big time.
The problem with this is that you can do all the planning in the world, but the world respects results. The world doesn’t care about your motivation or your intent. What is cares about is the actual result, the actual change in your behavior, and the actual impact of your actions in the lives of the people around you.
As Peter Marshall says, small deeds done are better than great things planned. Real Christian service is not a matter of size; it’s a matter of whether it exists or not. Small deeds pack as much punch as larger deeds. Don’t get caught up in this Christian ‘analysis paralysis’ that your good deeds towards your fellowmen have to be large enough for it to be worthy.
For you to even be a Christian at all, you have to understand that you are saved not by your works, but by your faith. And you’re not out to earn God’s love. God already loves you even before you loved Him. So, step away from the Christian ‘analysis paralysis’ and just let God’s love work through you, so that even small deeds come out.
Thinking about Doing Good Is Not Action
One key driver of the whole Christian ‘analysis paralysis’ is that people think that when we’re thinking about something, we’re actually doing something. This is not true.
Live Out Your Faith in Baby Steps
The good news is that living out your faith doesn’t have to involve grand gestures, and big, bold moves. Instead, it can take place in baby steps. What’s important is that you trust Christ enough daily to draw on His strength, to take the first steps in living out your faith.
It can be as simple as smiling at your neighbor, sharing a kind word, or giving your time. It doesn’t have to be bold; it doesn’t have to be dramatic. What is important is you take those first baby steps.
