Jesus said to them, “This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed’; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him in reply, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.” Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And all the disciples spoke likewise.

“Hey, won’t you look my way, I can be your new addiction. What you gotta say? All you’re giving me is fiction; I’m a sorry sucker and this happens all the time. I found out that everybody talks. It started with a whisper, and that was when I kissed her, and then she made my lips hurt. I could hear the chit chat. Take me to your love shack. Everybody talks too much. Never thought I’d live to see the day when everybody’s words got in the way.”

Perhaps the classic case in the Gospels of people saying one thing and doing another is Peter’s and the apostles’ promise to Jesus that they would never lose their faith in him. Their actions did not back up their words. They had the best of intentions as they spoke in the relative safety of friends, but in a hostile situation, their words meant nothing.

The man in the relationship that is sung about in Neon Trees’ song “Everybody Talks” is speaking of the same thing. The lady is “giving him a good line” as the English expression goes. She is using the right words, but as he says, they are nothing more than fiction. Even though she kissed him as a seal to her words of commitment, “she made my lips hurt” because in his words, “everybody talks too much.” He knew the importance of communication, and so he reflects that he never thought he would say that words turn out to be the problem. But he discovered that words with no actions to back them are even more of a problem.

In the New Testament Letter of James, the author writes: “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16) Human beings tend to say “nice” things or things that we know should be said, but then go no further, mainly because words are easy to say, and they can make us look good.

But we must mean the words that we say. In fact, one of the secrets to living a good life is to learn to never say anything unless we can back it up with some action. The art of communication implies that we use words in order to say how we feel, but we must always realize that everybody can talk. We must work to make our words more than fiction.

Good and gracious God, the Apostles of your Son remained very human after your Son chose them to help with redemption. They said things, but sometimes did not follow through. Give us the grace to always back the words that we say. Be with us, we pray.

Words are important for communication, but actions must back up the words.

1. Jesus refers to the fact that faith in him is often “shaken.” What are the things in life that “shake our faith” the most? Why?
2. Text analysis: “All you’re giving me is fiction.” What is the meaning of the phrase?
3. It is an exaggeration to say that “all” is fiction, and it happens “all the time.” Why do people often exaggerate when it comes to talking about love?
4. Is it true that people “talk” but do not carry through with action almost “all the time.” Yes or no and why?
5. Text analysis: “She made my lips hurt.” What is the meaning of the phrase?
6. Text analysis: “Everybody’s words got in the way.” What is the meaning of the phrase?
7. What is the meaning of the English phrase, “give a good line”?
8. In our world today, what are some instances where people have promised things, but have not carried through?
9. The meditation says that people say things because “words make us look good.” Explain the meaning of the phrase.
10. In general, do most people follow the directive given in the meditation to never say anything that we cannot back up with action? Yes or no and why?
11. What does the song “Everybody Talks” teach young people?