Before we were married, my wife thought I was a "straight-laced CPA." Probably, because I was! Well after all, I'm a CPA and have a professional image to maintain, or so I reasoned. She has said that even when I have fun, it's work. She's right. My upbringing taught me how to perform to get accolades and avoid criticism.
While I have grown some, I still have to make sure what I do isn't performance to get "attaboys," or to sway the opinions of others. The truth is that most of us perform some. Others are affected by our performance, at least for a little while. Eventually, however, hidden things will be revealed. Maybe I should say the hidden "self" will be revealed. My self-serving purposes will eventually become evident when what I do and say doesn't align with what's in my heart. In other words, I can only survive doing and saying good for a short time if I'm faking it. In some way, the truth will come out because my actions speak louder than my words!
If you are a parent and make a promise to your child, you better make it good. If you are a businessman that tells employees your primary objective is to help them accomplish theirs, you better make sure you share your profits. If you are a pastor that tells a congregation your goal is to help them live a better life, occasionally you should consider passing the offering plate and telling them to take something out! If you are a politician that insists serving the needs of constituents is the primary purpose of holding office, your actions better back up your words.
Here's the bottom line. Words are empty unless they come from one's heart and are backed by unselfish actions. When we're not genuine in our words or actions, others will know it!
No comments:
Post a Comment