You Can Talk the Talk, But Can You Walk the Walk?

“Come on, Alana. We don’t have all day,” Dallas ordered. “I’m coming Chief Dallas. Five more minutes please,” Alana bargained. “You said that fifteen minutes ago. The wedding starts in ten minutes!” he persisted. “So we are already late technically if you consider traffic. Art* won’t mind,” she averred. “Who in the history is late to their own pastor’s wedding? Why look at that! Your five minutes is up. I’m leaving if you don’t come out, and I mean it. Whoa! You look great!” Dallas gasped. “Thank-you! Now let’s go before we’re late,” Alana laughed.

“Alana, whenever I pick you up we are always late. I think it’s best if I don’t drive you anywhere for now on,” he explained,”I mean we walked in right when they were doing their vows! That’s unacceptable.” “Dallas, everyone laughed. No harm was done,” she argued. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sick of taking the consequences of driving you to events. I don’t like being late, and I’m tired of having to go through this same pattern. I drive you, we’re late, you apologize and promise never to be late again, repeat. You never put your words into actions,” Dallas complained. “Dallas, I promise never again to be late. Please give me another chance. Please with a cherry on top,” Alana pleaded. “Fine, but if you aren’t ready on time, then I not driving you anywhere again,” he decided.

Ding, dong! “Oh, man! He’s here. Come in, Dallas. I’ll be out in five minutes; I promise,” she called out. “Alana, I’m leaving in 1 minute with or without you,” Dallas replied. “Oh, but I need just a little more time, Dallas. I just have to finish my make-up and hair,” she explained. Slam! Who closed the door? “Dallas! Dallas, are you there? I coming out right now, so we can leave,” Alana said aloud. He was gone! Then she remembered her promise. Oh no.

Alana sat on her bed, all dressed up but no where to go. ‘What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I keep my word? Now Dallas is really mad at me if he wasn’t before…’ she thought to herself, ‘What am I going to do to make it up to him? Lord, please help me...’ Suddenly she had an idea. Alana rushed into her car, and drove ahead.

“Hey, Dallas. Nice party, huh?” Alana smiled. “Yeah, nice party.” Dallas politely agreed. “Look, Dallas, I want to wholeheartedly apologize for making you late by my selfish actions these past months. I also want to apologize for my fake apologies before. I wasn’t truly thinking about how you felt about being late, and I know I hurt your feelings with my actions. Will you forgive me?” she blurted. “Of course, Alana. I forgive you. Thank-you for apologizing for your past actions,” he accepted. “Whew! I glad that’s taken care of. I have an idea to solve my problem. I’ll drive myself to the next few parties. Depending on my time, you can grade me. Until I get a 3.0, I can start driving with you again. Whaddaya think?” Alana offered. “I think that’s a great idea. When do we start?” Dallas said excitedly,”I miss having a companion to joke with.”

1 John 3:18 says,”Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” This means: Don’t talk the talk, if you can’t walk the walk. This is considered untruthfulness, which is a sin. We all know what sin does to our relationships with God. So don’t talk the talk, if you can’t walk the walk.

*Read "I Got That Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy"