Devotional - January 1l, 2023
James 2: 14-17 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. Sometimes, like today, James does not need any additional commentary to understand his message. It is what it says. A person's faith is not measured in word play. Well wishing will not benefit the well wisher, the one being wished well, or the God in whose name one is blessing. In fact, the results are the opposite. But in today's day and age, it can be a little more involved than it was for James. In James' day, he is referring to folks who would die if no one gave them food or clothes. Shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, and the like did not exist. If a person had the means to give someone food or clothing, and choose not to, that was akin to leaving them to die. There was no guarantee that others could help. Moreover, to do so in the name of God... Today, in the US we have places where people can go to get care and the resources they need to survive. When we see someone in dire straits or begging, we can get them to such places or give them coupons for food. It can be difficult to discern the need from the want. In the end, our aim is to honor God with our giving (Matt 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12). To do so, we have to be willing to look directly at the situation and see what is there. Throwing money at it, in some ways, is just as bad as doing nothing at all. We need to be solution focussed. Giving money or supplies may make us feel better, but what about the cause of the problem? Are we willing to seek ways to address it? If you are struggling with these issues, good! That is a good sign because it means your faith in God is alive. Being a Christian, especially in the US in 2023, is not easy. We are prone to make mistakes which is not akine to failure. God sees the heart and the situation (1 Sam 16:7, Jer 17:10). James makes it clear to the church, they are the Body of Christ in their society. To the lengths that they can help, they need to help. To leave societal problems for God to address does not work, regardless of who is in need (Luke 10: 25-37).
Pray with me, Holy God, guide us, give us wisdom so we can meet the issues of our day in a way that glorifies You. Give us the courage to discern and address the issues of our time. Hear us Lord, as we pray for our loved ones. Bless them in accordance with their needs. Be with our church and bless us, so we can be the people You call us to be, in Jesus name, Amen.
God's peace,
Pastor Brian
