Do actions speak louder than words, what if I yell?

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug" -Mark Twain

I appreciate those who are good with words. I hope I can be poetic, articulate, accurate, and well, right when I choose my words when I speak or write. But how far do my words go? Until the end of the sentence? The end of the conversation? The end of this post? I'd like to think not. I'd like to think that you or whoever I talk to value my words. But the more debates, the more posts, the more papers, conversations, messages, poems, the more me comes out. Yes, in our society I want to make a name for myself, I want to be known, I want to be quoted by an expressive student 100 years after my death. And in this case my actions could get that much attention as well, if not more. I could go down in the history books (like Columbus!) for what I do and what I say throughout my life.

But hold the blackberry,
How many times did I just type I, me, or my? Don't count.... it's embarrassing.
This Satan-Damn World, as I like to call it, has convinced me to doodle my name all over my paper, mount my trophy on the wall, display all virtues and good deeds on online profiles and resumes, yet not blame myself for any of this.

Let's face it, we are a selfish, pleasure seeking society. Go on, face it. Literally. Look in the mirror and ask yourself what you do or say that's not for your own pleasure or name. And while you're at it look up the lyrics to Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson and get inspired to change the world. But my point actually isn't to get you to "turn up the collar on your favorite winter coat" while seeing those who are freezing on the street and feel like an awful person. It's to get you and myself to realize that "I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love."

But the irony in it all (I'm starting to think that seeing the ironies of life may be my spiritual gift) the irony is that the only reason we know how to love, to love ourselves, is because we are the "victims" of the most selfless love this world has ever and will ever know.

So while I go ahead and take credit for that or any other profound thought, kind action, impressive grade, or cute outfit combination, I can become more and more proud of myself.
The things I'm not proud of, at this point in my life all (quite ironically) can be traced back to my pride.

When Jesus asks us to take up our crosses does He mean our baggage, our biggest struggles and sins, our name, or our words? To answer that question I think we should look at what it meant when Jesus took up His cross. The action was two fold: a display of Him willingly walking to His own death, and He was carrying our baggage, our biggest struggles and sins, our name and our words to die. So does the answer lie in our words or our actions? The right word or the almost right word still won't do here. Here, all we have to do is follow suit.

The suit is hearts, if you were confused.