actions speak louder than words

Robbie and I have been bored lately and trying to relax after the holidays, so we have been watching a lot of TV shows we've DVR'd for just such a day... the main show he has been recording is House, MD. Neat show, odd premise, (as always) Jeopardy, lots of Food Network programming and, recently, True Beauty.

Leave it to Ashton Kutcher to make another thought provoking show. If you haven't True Beauty, get ready for a really petty show, that is actually interesting. The show is made up of these contestants who think they are the most beautiful person in America. They think at the end of the contest they will be told which of them is the most beautiful. There are 3 judges who are judging their "beauty", but in reality, they are taking in both their physical appearance and their inner beauty. They measure the inner beauty by planting secret challenges to see how the contestants react... do they help a friend in need? do they reach out a helping hand to a stranger? would they look at other contestsants private medical files if they were left alone with them?

Watching this show, it is amazing how conceited people are, how "special" or "perfect" they believe they are. When you watch it, you'll see I mean. It just goes to show that people who think they are beautiful and perfect, really aren't. And the more you get to know them, many of them grow even uglier. Most of all, if you confront them with their flaws, they become very defensive. I was like, wow! who saw that reaction coming... this person that got eliminated even lied about looking at files (said it was hers) and when they showed proof that it wasn't, she tried to act like she was justified for looking and that it didn't matter. She was standing there disputing the importance of honesty, looking uglier and uglier as her true colors showed.

There was also an interesting moment in House. In this episode, House is in trouble with the law because of stealing prescription drugs and taking them. He goes to the prosecutor and apologizes for what he has done. It is a heartfelt apology that seems all mushy-gushy. When he is done with this seemingly heartfelt monologue, the officer says essentially, "Thanks, but I don't care what you say. What you say makes no impression. It's what you DO that impresses me."

1 John 1:5-10

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Actions speak louder than words. To be truly beautiful and to get your life in order means to live a life not of pride, but of humility. Lives submitted to God, in his will, following his order and rules. Without Christ, we could not be truly beautiful, we would still have a huge weight of sin. If pointing out a flaw makes you erupt like a volcano, you probably have some work to do (and that includes me, I don't like being told I'm wrong). If you don't know the love of Christ, then you can pray a prayer asking him to come into your heart as you submit to his ways and believe in Him.