On Emmaus Road

Happy Friday Friends! I hope this week has been a good one. I’m going to jump right in with this weeks scripture from James. I going to guess that you’ve heard this one before.

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? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

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- 18

Reading these verse this week was a good reminder. A reminder that the faith I profess to have needs to be backed with actions. That I simply cannot do lip service, but that I need to be the hands and feet.

I think the example that is given in scripture about seeing someone in need and doing nothing is such a relatable example even today. How often do we pass by or know of someone who could use help and do nothing. I for one, know that I can talk myself into justifying why I didn’t help. Things like; I don’t have any cash on me right now and by the time I go get some I’m sure they’ll be gone. Or maybe they are just going to buy drugs or alcohol with the money I give them. It’s surprisingly easy to talk oneself out of helping someone. I don’t know if I’d been told or watched too many movies that lead me to the think that way. I don’t if someone told me I’m being a sucker and getting taken advantage of, but I do know those thoughts run though my head.

I wish I could remember who told me what I’m about to share because I’d love to give them credit. They told me it wasn’t my worry what that person did the money I gave them. It was simply my job as a believer to help them the way God was asking. We both one day would have to give an account of this exchange and God will be the judge on the matter. We each would be responsible for our own actions.

This shifted my perspective immensely. And the truth of the matter is I am blessed. If I can afford to buy myself a fancy coffee or a new book anytime I want, it surely won’t hurt me to help someone I don’t know out in a small way.

There are millions of different good deeds that we could spend time talking about. But instead of talking about all the different good deeds we could do, let’s go out and do them. Let’s show how our faith and good deeds go hand in hand. Let’s go be the hands and feet of Jesus today friends.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann