I had many favorite sayings as a coach. Here a some of them:

-- Rule 1: The coach is right.
-- Rule 2: If you think Coach is wrong, see Rule 1.
-- Whether you can or can't, you are right.
-- Don't tell me. Show me.

The last one may have been my favorite. Athletes have a hard time backing up what they say. They talk a good game, but many times today's athlete can't back it up. All in all, talk is cheap.

In the book of Titus, Paul encouraged the true believers to stand strong. Many people in that time were all talk and didn't live up to their words, especially when it came to Christ. Paul called these kinds of people despicable, disobedient and worthless for doing anything good. Wow. Tough words, huh? But as I said before, talk is cheap. In James, we find a simple message: do not just talk or listen to the word, be doers of it (James 1). Christ said that if you are going to tell Him you love Him, also show Him. Peter was a prime example of cheap talk. His heart was good, but he did not always walk his talk and did not show Christ that his talk was a reflection of his true belief.

All coaches want to believe that their players will do what they say all the time. But they know that that is not always the case. The coaches who can convince their players to talk less and do more will usually find a greater level of success. Jesus wants the same for His believers. He wants us to talk less about all the great things we intend to do for Him and to start doing them. He wants a lifestyle of action, not just of mere talk. Athletes and Christians need to heed the same message: talk is cheap, and action is everything.