Words and Deeds: Becoming a Man of Courageous Integrity

This book is a must-read. The quotations from experts in many fields are priceless. The reader will meet himself or herself several times in this book, and each meeting will leave the reader a better person who understands others better. Regardless of whether you are an employer or employee, military or civilian, you will be a better person after applying the insights in this book, and consequently, you’ll better perform the job with which you have been entrusted.

As a pastor who wants to equip the men in my church to better serve their God, Christ’s church, their families, and our community, I’m so grateful for this book and Charles Causey’s practical, engaging, and scriptural call for men to live congruent lives—lives where our words and deeds truly please our Lord.

Our own fathers or grandfathers may not have needed this book. But we do. I do. We live in an age of spin. Talking a good game matters more than living a good life, and the art of persuasion is more valued than plain speech and honest action. Charles Causey steps into the muddle and issues a clear call for men to say what we mean, mean what we say, and do what we promise. It’s too bad we need this reminder. But it’s so good that it comes in this form—so clear, so simple, so sane, so direct. I have a mental list of several men who need this book. At the top of the list is my own name.

Weaving stories with practical God-honoring advice, Charles Causey gives us a solid study on why words and deeds are both essential in building lives that matter.

We often have a false dichotomy between the importance of actions and words. The reality is that it is extremely important for Christian men to live out their own discipleship in a way that encompasses both the content of their words and the quality of their actions. Charles Causey does a wonderful job helping us identify the nature of our own discipleship as we speak and live while giving us practical tools to grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ.

Influential men of history, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., or Theodore Roosevelt, achieved greatness because they were able to find the right balance between their words and deeds. King gave eloquent speeches that moved people, but he also took action throughout the civil rights movement. Roosevelt effectively used the “bully pulpit” of the presidency, but he was also renowned for his military accomplishments.

Causey, a recipient of the Bronze Star for his military service in Iraq, seeks to help men find balance between their words and deeds. Both are necessary to find true integrity. This book offers readers a diagnostic exam to assess how their words and deeds line up.

The author devotes several chapters to defining various types of men along the words/deeds spectrum. Some men, for example, fall short in both words and actions. These men let important opportunities and relationships pass them by. Not only do they fail to use words to create connections with others or to inspire, but they also stand back instead of grabbing hold of all that life has to offer.

Other men may be strong in one area, such as using words to make plans and promises, but they fail to follow through with actions. Causey offers tools, which he calls “force multipliers,” to help close any gap that exists between words and deeds.

Men need each other to move forward in these areas, so the book includes a six-week Bible study group guide at the end. Men will find the teaching practical, insightful and hopeful, no matter where they may be on their journey toward integrity.