25 Nov Walk the Talk

Consistency in speech and conduct – Christian testimony

Let me start with three important words that are connected to the above topic. INTEGRITY, CREDIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY.

The author John C Maxwell spent his entire life training Christian leaders around the world in these three highest disciplines raising the standard of accountability. Why we say walk the talk and not the talk the walk although this title is there in Christian world for a long time. Very few wanted to address the issue.

1. Integrity builds trust.
Integrity has high influence value. Every great institution is the lengthened shadow of a single man. His character determines the character of the organization. People’s minds are changed through observation and not arguments.
Integrity facilitates high standards. It is priceless to find a person who will take responsibility and be accountable, will finish and follow through to the final detail, to know when someone has accepted an assignment that it will be effectively, consciously completed.
Integrity results in solid reputation, not just image.
Integrity means living it myself before leading others (walk the talk).
Integrity helps a leader to be credible and not just clever.
Integrity is hard – won achievement. Strength of character is a rare commodity. Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. “When wealth is lost nothing is lost; when health is lost something is lost; when character is lost all is lost.”

2. Credibility is the acid test of a Christian leader and through his words of testimony he proves to the world that what he says he lives and leaves the testimony for the world to watch. (Walk the talk). He promises to keep on shining, giving his word and keeping it. He recognizes the faults of others as a personal reminder to change himself. For his personal benefits and reminder to himself he writes down 5-10 credible action plans.
Look for the truth behind the facts. Beware the way that seems ‘right’
Act your course by the north start of conscience – by doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Build the type of credibility you can stake your life on.
Look for the good example in others and follow it. Take care of what you are made of; people never forget. Then leave your ______as though it were a tribute to someone else. Lean on the Lord as you stand on your own two feet. Protect your feet of clay by ‘having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace’ Gal 6:15
Give your best in the worst of time and stand up for your convictions.
Look up at the goal ahead. Take heart at the success of those who have gone before.

3. Accountability is a very strange word in our Christian world today. Every fortnight someone starts an independent organization saying that I started this ‘by faith’. In a way theysay ‘I am not accountable to you.’ But whichever way we think we are individually accountable to the body of Christ – local and global church.

Let us have a credible platform of our service with integrity. I wanted to walk the talk in this manner. Let me close with this short saying
The world needs a man
Who loves the Lord and His book and lives like it;
Who do not have a price at which they can be bought;
Who do not borrow from integrity to pay for expedience;
Who are not afraid of risk;
Who have opinions instead of prejudices;
Who are as honest in small matters as they are in large ones;
Who know how to win with grace and lose with dignity;
Who do not believe that shrewdness and cunning and ruthlessness are the three keys to success;
Who still have friends they made 20 or 30 years ago;
Who are not afraid to go against the grain of popular opinions and who do not believe in ‘consensus’;
Who when proved wrong are always willing to admit it.
These are the people who walk the talk.

Rev. Subrata Fullonton serves the Lord Most High since 1970