God said to Jeremiah, “Listen to what they [the people] are saying and watch what they are doing” (Jeremiah 6:27, The Living Bible). Jeremiah was getting from God a heads up on how to gauge people.
If you really want to know what people are like you need to listen to and watch them. You must be attentive to their words and aware of their actions.
Words express one’s mind. Words are the verbalization of what one thinks, believes, and opines upon. Words give a sense of where someone stands on a topic. It is a person’s perspective at any given time.
Words can also be an individual’s way of processing. How often have you said, or another has said, “I’m just thinking out loud here.” This is a heads up to you that what they are saying is not so much formed in cement as written in mental sand. It is a method to understand better what one thinks. After all, words in the mind always make more sense when they are released into the auditory world.
Actions are an expression of one’s heart. Our actions are the revelations of what we feel. Actions are the vehicle by which a person actualizes true belief.
Actions are much more important than words. The heart is more revealing that the mind. What one says may inspire, but how one acts influences. When a person uses words, but their actions contradict the words, go with the actions.
Listening to others; watching what others do; provides windows necessary to better understanding. When dealing with people you need both. You need to discern their words while at the same time determine what their actions reveal.
You gauge people by both their words and actions. Words let you know what people think, they think. Actions let you know what they really believe.