- 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? 17 So too, faith by itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead. James 2:14-17
- 9 Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith. Galatians 6:10
These two verses have been playing in my thoughts. Along with everything that the Apostle John says in his letters about love. And then while driving home it struck me. I heard Todd White say that we complicate things that are so simple. How true. It can't be counted on my hands how many times people have asked about how to reach out to, pray for the and show the character and nature of Christ to a lost and hurting world. Today it may be that the thought that came to mind is something of a revelation to me.
I have several children. As a parent I desire that my children learn certain fundamental things about life. Things like respect, honor, patience, compassion and sharing to name only a few. Now I send my children to school and the result of that is academic thinking and good grades, hopefully. Why to pursue a career or something like that going into there future.
So then what good is a future where if you cannot respect your lecturers and there knowledge you will not learn. So where would they learn these things. Well in "theory", my children should learn these things at home from me and their mother. Now it is not to sit down and say to them, this is how I want you to behave. Instruction is only so good as how much it is demonstrated. So I need to demonstrate respect for them too see what it looks like. How by showing respect to their mother and to them. This applies for all the values I would have them grow in.
Yet this is not enough. The children need to know that as my offspring, they too can behave in the manner they see my wife and I behave. That there identity comes from us as their parents and not the society at large. So we instill in them that they are respectful, honoring and compassionate and so forth. Why? You may ask. If we do not, then they will get a warped sense of identity from everything else around them.If keep tell them they are naughty ... well ... then odds are they will become naughty.
As I was saying, it is not just hearing and seeing instruction. It is practicing. No I am going to get a bit mystical on you here so just bear with me. A great athlete is one that shows up to the sport of his choice with the team of his choice and blows everyone away with his amazing skill even though he has never played before, yes? No, of course not. It takes practice, years and years of hard work. The same to with the values of the family. Children need to practice respect, honor, compassion. So now, at home among the family where it is safe to make mistakes and grow, children get the opportunity to practice these things, so by the time they are sent out of the home to be responsible for their own lives they have all the tools and are full equipped and trained in what they need to know.
Wow, all that ... Whats your point Richard? My point is this. How can we expect to go into the world to seek and save those who are in the dark when we are ill equipped and trained to do so. "Oh, but I have a doctorate in Biblical Theology," you may say. That is nice you also seem to have a bachelors in looking down on others. How does that show the grace and love of God? Am I making my point clear. Think about it. Where would you get to practice being generous? Where would you get to train yourself in showing compassion? Where would you get to display respect and honor? As a christian among the saints? Is this not discipleship?
Or, do we just want to make converts? Show the face of something that draws people in and once in, we have yet another individual who may or may not grow up to be a self-fish, self-centered person without real faith and relationship with God. Oh, but each person is responsible for hi/her own walk with God. Yes this is true and t is also not. That is correct I said it is not entirely true. The Father says that He places the lonely in family. That we are adopted in Christ Jesus to become part of the family of God. If we can't even uphold one another in Christ what right do we have trying to reach a people we could potentially make ten times worse than ourselves.
Fundamentally. I want to encourage each Christian, young or old in the faith. Love God, with everything you are and love others as yourself. Jesus said he only does what he sees the Father doing and says what he hears the Father saying. If this is true then the example of Christ is to us the example of the Father. We need to practice that. Learn from Jesus' example, practice in and among the saints and then when you encounter some-one outside of the faith, its not a question of how do I deal with this. It will be so a part of your nature that you and I would not be able to help ourselves.
And one last things. We will be so sure of our God, faith and belief that no matter the outcome there will be no fear or doubt, just a absolute certain hope. Why? Because we know that we know that our God is faithful, and that He has given us all we need for life and Godliness.
