Submitted by
S. Daly

Age Group
8-14

Aim
To realise that loving actions speak louder than words

Faith Group
Christian

Resources
A television, or a box painted to look like one

Time of Year
Any, or just after a world disaster

Other Details
The poem can be mimed

Script
1. Good morning. The theme of today's assembly is 'actions speak louder than words'.

2. One evening two people were watching the television. A programme about poor people came on. The commentator said,

COMMENTATOR: In the Developing World, seven people die every minute, simply because they do not have enough food.

2. One of the people watching said,

PERSON 1: Oh dear. How awful. Somebody ought to do something about that.

2. The other person said nothing, but the next day sent some money to a charity organisation which was helping people in the Developing World.

3. Which person did the right thing? The person who acted of course.
It is very easy to talk, but much harder and much more useful to actually do something.

4. There are some famous sayings about this, for example:

5. A wise old owl sat on an oak,
The more he saw
The less he spoke.
The less he spoke
The more he heard.
Why aren't we like that wise old bird?

6. Empty vessels make the most noise.

7. Nature has given to man one tongue, but two ears.

8. There are few wild beasts more to be dreaded than a talking man with nothing to say.

9. All these sayings mean that it is no good talking about helping people, unless we actually do something to help them.

10. Everybody in this hall is fit and healthy.
We are all capable of helping people who need help.
But what can we do?
We cannot go to Northern Ireland (replace if necessary) and stop people shooting each other.
We cannot send tonnes of food to Ethiopia (replace if necessary).
We cannot give limbs back to people who have stepped on land-mines.
It's hopeless! It seems as if there is nothing we can do.

11. But - stop - there is something we can do!
We can stop complaining about the minor hardships we all have - and stop demanding all the latest clothes and games.
We can then put that energy into being kind to people who are not as well off as we are.
We can help our parents when they're tired.
We can do what our teachers and dinner ladies tell us to do.
These small actions would be more helpful than a thousand words, to the people we meet every day.
We can then move on to helping people in the wider world when we are able to.

12. Here is a poem about someone who eventually understands that actions speak louder than words:

13. Today, upon a bus, I saw a lovely girl with golden hair.
I envied her, she seemed so bright.
I wished I were as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had only one foot and used a crutch,
But still she gave a smile.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two feet, the world is mine!

14. And then I stopped to buy some sweets.
The boy who sold them had such charm,
I talked to him - he said to me,
"It's nice to talk with folk like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes, the world is mine!

15. Then walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
It seemed he knew not what to do.
I stopped for a moment, then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word,
And then I knew he could not hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears, the world is mine!

13. With feet to take me where I go,

14. With eyes to see the sunset's glow,

15. With ears to hear what I would know,

13, 14, 15. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I'm blessed indeed! The world is mine.

16. Give me a good digestion, Lord.
And also something to digest.
Give me a healthy body, Lord,
With sense to keep it at its best.

17. Give me a healthy mind, good Lord,
To keep the good and pure in sight,
Which, seeing sin is not appalled,
But finds a way to set it right.

18. Give me a mind that is not bored,
That does not whimper, whine or sigh.
Don't let me worry overmuch
About the fussy thing called I.

19. Give me a sense of humour, Lord,
Give me the grace to see a joke,
To get some happiness from life
And pass it on to other folk.

20. Dear Lord, please help us to be positive people - people who mean and do what they say - people who realise that actions speak louder than words. Amen.

21. We will now sing "The Servant King" by Graham Kendrick (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 187).