What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. -James 2:14-17 (NKJV)
It’s easy to care from a distance. You feel like at least your heart cares, but surely someone else can help out. God will understand.
There’s a classic story about four people, named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. My pastor used it in a sermon once, and you may have heard it in other contexts as well:
This is a story about four people, named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did.
Somebody got angry about this, because it was Everybody’s job.
Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done!
Sound familiar?
It’s far too easy to feel like we have enough of our own problems than to selflessly serve others in His name. Let’s challenge ourselves to reach out first, instead of letting someone else take the lead.
Today’s soundtrack
Josh Wilson’s “I Refuse” urges us to stop being inert and be His hands and feet!
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