Living out our faith by actions, not simply words, has been in our face here as of late…truly living out the Gospel.

A pastor friend has been shunned (my word) by the church because he helps widows, orphans and those living with HIV/AIDS.  Preaching at a pulpit was prestige and power for him but being called to act upon his words has left him out of the church community.

Another friend found a family (mother with 4 children) living in horrendous conditions.  The mother was unable to walk due to chiggers (they are in her hands, feet, elbows and buttocks), all the children have chiggers, the entire family was sleeping on the dirt floor, the children were attending school in torn uniforms (no underwear either so their bare bottoms were showing, yet they still attended school), no shoes, 3 utensils and 3 cooking pots all in terrible condition and boiling weeds for food.  This was happening all within sight of the local pastor, who, when our friend visited and asked him about the family, said “she no longer attends the church.”  But a question that continues to run through my mind is just because she no longer attends his church she doesn’t deserve help?  Where is the body of Christ to help their fellow neighbor?  The mother told our friend she did attend the church but when she began to get ill and could no longer walk (due to the chiggers) no one came to visit her or offer any type of assistance…..again, where is the body of Christ?  When the principal was asked about the children attending school without shoes and torn uniforms he said “what’s the issue?”

People what are we doing!?  Yes I will be so bold as to ask “what are YOU doing?”  Believe me, I ask myself this same question on a daily basis.  There is so much need out there, (Jesus told us the poor would always be with us, Matthew 26:11) I urge you to take a step and DO SOMETHING.

Show them your faith by your actions, show them what Christ’s love feels like, show them the saving grace of our Heavenly Father by your deeds.  By using your time, finances and talents to encourage, clothe, feed, educate and heal you will be showing them what the love of Christ looks like here on this side of Heaven.  Show them what faith looks like in your life.

With the above family C4KK is helping them get bunk beds and mattresses so they are off the floor, medical attention for the chigger infestation, uniforms and shoes so the children can attend school without fear of being teased by others and other basic needs (food, blankets, clothing) but most of all they are physically seeing and feeling the love of Christ, they are not forgotten.

God calls each of us to love our neighbor both near and far

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:36-41 (my emphasis)

so DO IT…not because I say so but Scripture tells us:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  James 1:22

…I will show you my faith by my deeds. James 2:18

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  1 John 3:18

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.  James 2:15-17

I know how easy it is to kid myself or justify my (lack of) action…hey I go to church and put money in the offering and my church does stuff…but then I’m reminded:

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”  Luke 21:1-4 (again, my emphasis)

Sacrificial giving is tough but it’s what we are told to do in the above verses.  It’s not giving out of our abundance so we won’t even miss it, but offering a gift which truly affects our life.

I won’t apologize for being tough but I’m sorry if I haven’t spoken much “love with truth”.  Or maybe I am simply yelling at myself to be more Christ-like in my actions and not just spout off words.

Please pray for those who are sacrificially giving (time, finances, etc.) to help the sick, widows, orphans, prisoners, discouraged and marginalized and ask our Heavenly Father what you can do, then don’t make up excuses just DO IT!