ACTIONABLE INTEL




I’m a great fan of spy and action movies, and a lover of spy novels (my favourite author in that genre: Tom Clancy, and the best works read so far is Without Remorse, and Patriot Games). Watching those movies and reading the books, I have very often come across the phrase “actionable intel”, and I’m sure many other readers of that genre of novels have come across it too. The term is used to refer to intelligence (information) that can be acted upon or used practically. Simply put, actionable intel is information that can be used for good gain.

In the current world of work, employers seek staff who can provide actionable intel as against those who will provide information that is not useful or that cannot be acted upon to provide results. It is more about the demand for the practicality of theories learned, and not just regurgitating the theories for their sake. 

My Christian friends, ours is a calling to portray or practicalize our faith, to “show working”. It is true that “[For] it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:10, NLT), but our calling is not only about believing and confessing our faith. Our trump card is the “actionable intel” of the Gospel: portraying our faith through our actions! God acted his love for humankind! The Bible says: 
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT)
So, the master demonstrated, practicalized, portrayed His love for us not only in word, but in action (read: deed)!

We Christians, then, are called provide actionable intelligence to the world: to bear fruits in consonance with Christianity (our calling):
“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God” (Ephesians 4:1, NLT)

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God” (Matthew 3:8, NLT)

For a Christian, providing actionable intel is the only way to prove that our faith is not just words or beliefs (abstracts and intangibles), but a lifestyle. James said:
“14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”
“17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”
“18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” (James 2:14, 17-18, NLT).

Yo guy, are you providing actionable intel? Or you say make we go Heblews?!

Location: Accra, Ghana

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