If you read my last post, you may have noticed that I cited a common saying, “Actions speak louder than words”. But since then, I read something online that added to that saying, “But intentions speak louder than actions”. That additional statement caught my eye, but I wasn’t sure what I thought about it. So, I set out to do a little research in order to make an informed opinion.
My first step was to make sure I understood the word, ‘intentions’, which comes from the root word ‘intent’. According to my friend, Merriam Webster, ‘intent’ means: “a usually clearly formulated or planned intention, aim; the act or fact of intending, design or purpose; the state of mind with which an act is done, volition.” Intent is a noun or can be an adjective.
Intention, also a noun, is defined as, “what one intends to do or bring about; a determination to act in a certain way, resolve.”
I noticed in these definitions that the word ‘intend’ is used, indicating that intend is different from intent. So, what does ‘intend’ mean? MW says: “to have in mind as a purpose or goal, a plan; to design for a specified use or future; signify, mean; to refer to; to direct the mind on.” Intend is a verb. Similar meaning to intent, but not identical.
Furthermore, I found a research site called, “The Content Authority”. The following is an excerpt from their explanation of intent and intend:
“Focusing on discussing the difference between “intend” and “intent,” it’s essential to understand the subtle nuances that set these two words apart. While they may seem similar at first glance, each carries its own distinct meaning and usage in the English language.
In simple terms, “intend” is a verb that refers to having a specific purpose or plan in mind. It conveys the idea of consciously aiming or directing one’s thoughts or actions towards a particular outcome. On the other hand, “intent” is a noun that represents a person’s state of mind or purpose. It signifies the determination or resolve behind someone’s actions or decisions.
With this in mind, it becomes clear that “intend” is the appropriate word to use when discussing actions or plans, while “intent” is more suitable for describing someone’s mindset or motivation.
When we speak of “intend,” we are referring to the act of having a specific purpose or goal in mind. It is the conscious decision to direct one’s thoughts, actions, or plans towards achieving a particular outcome. In simpler terms, intending involves setting an objective or intention and actively working towards it.
It is important to note that “intend” implies a level of conscious awareness and purposefulness. It conveys a sense of intentionality, where the individual is fully aware of their actions and the desired outcome they seek to achieve.
In contrast, “intent” refers to the underlying motivation or purpose behind an action or decision. It delves deeper into the psychological or emotional aspect of why someone is driven to do something. While “intend” focuses on the conscious planning and goal setting, “intent” explores the underlying desires, aspirations, or motivations that drive those intentions.
To summarize, while “intend” focuses on the conscious planning and purposeful actions, “intent” delves into the deeper motivations and emotional drivers behind those intentions.”
Now, you may be thinking, “TMI, Terri!” And I get that, but I was just so excited to learn all this. I love being able to understand something that wasn’t completely clear to me before, especially when it comes to words. I had always thought of intend and intent as synonymous, just one was a verb and the other a noun. Learning about their differences was exciting!
With all that being said, I can see why someone might say that ‘intentions speak louder than actions’ because the motivation behind our actions is usually a very important component. But beware, good intentions do not excuse acting haphazardly or behaving badly.
Consider these examples: My husband’s intention was to bless me with a birthday gift. But he picked out a frumpy dress. When I opened the present, I was happy even though the dress was not my style, because his intention was so sweet. Now, for another birthday years later, my husband intended to get me a present. But he put it off and ran out of time. So, at the last minute, he slipped me some cash. I was not as happy in that instance because of his lack of effort for my birthday. (I did keep the cash, though!!) You could look at the first example and say that the intention spoke louder than the action. And I would agree. However…
Although I agree that intentions are very important, neither intending nor having intentions mean much without a corresponding action. In the first example, my husband’s intention did speak louder than his action. But what if he had taken no action? Would his intention have mattered as much? In the second example, what he intended was overshadowed by his lack of acting on it. Without an action, intending and intention can be mute. Both could remain unrecognized or possibly perceived negatively.
I knew a wonderful Christian lady who told me that she fancied herself as a very caring and considerate person: until one day she realized that she wasn’t what she thought she was. She based her assessment of herself on knowing that in her mind, she always thought about people and prayed for them. When she was out shopping, she would see things in the store and think, ‘so and so’ would really like that. She would remember people on their birthdays by saying a special prayer for them. And then came her epiphany! She had not demonstrated any of those caring thoughts. She didn’t let anyone know that she was praying for them. She never bought any of those things she thought someone would like. And she didn’t reach out to anyone to wish them a happy birthday or send them a card. So, all her good intentions went unnoticed by those for whom they were intended. Her intentions had no voice.
You might argue that God sees our intentions. And that is true. But just having good intentions is not fulfilling God’s instructions to us. For example, it is stated in 1 John 3:23, “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” (There are 18 more verses in the New Testament that specifically tell us to love one another.) To truly love one another requires action on our part, not merely intentions. I’m not saying that our intentions aren’t important. They are! They are the underlying motivation for our actions. But people will see and judge our actions regardless of our intentions.
Our words can convey our intentions. But telling someone about your intentions does not always finish the job. How often have you heard someone say, “I meant to…”? You have probably said it yourself. This statement often accompanies some sort of apology. Completion of your intentions comes from the corresponding action. Meaning to do something without doing it doesn’t get the job done.
Words are our most precious form of communication, but actions are our most thorough. Demonstrating our intentions gives them validity. In certain circumstances, intentions can be appreciated more than actions, if the action somehow falls short. But most of the time, it is someone’s actions that make the difference. And when our intentions line up with God’s Word, our actions will always be profitable. So, my conclusion is that intentions are significant and valuable, but without words or actions they don’t speak. And therefore, it seems to me that actions speak the loudest.
Note to my readers: An interesting verse to consider on the topic of intentions is Hebrews 4:12. Thanks for reading!