James 2:15-17

¹⁵  If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “ Go in peace, ^[a]be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has no works, is ^[b]dead, being by itself.




I don't often watch the 700 Club, but when I do, I learn something.  A few days back, there was a guest on the club who had been sexually abused as a young girl.  She taught me much, and opened my eyes to how useless my hands have been of late.


She indicated that the church is mostly mute to the needs of people who are severely broken by life.  The church likes to pat their heads, say "God will carry you," or "Well we shall keep you in prayer," and not ever recognize that we are to BE the answer to that prayer.


If our faith is not including works, works that COST us something, then of what use is our faith?  If we are not brave enough to step out and DO what the Lord has asked us to do, then our faith will have no oxygen on which to survive.  Our works allow God to bless us, to increase our knowledge of hurts and injustices, and better serve his people.  Basically, practice makes perfect.  Our faith is perfected in our doing.


The child who is being abused needs a voice.  Are you willing to be that voice, make that call?


The woman who has been raped needs to learn trust.  She needs to feel worth and value, do you have a job for her, a volunteer position, time to hear her cry?


The addicted man needs medical attention.  He needs protection from the elements, and he needs boundaries.  Are you willing to give those to him?


The suicidal needs to feel value, not judgment.  He needs hope in the portion of his life he has lost hope.  Do you have hope that you can provide?  


The widow needs a caregiver, someone to listen, someone to let her cry.  She needs support for her children, time spent with them by good Christian men.  She needs someone to come do the heavy work, and to pray with her.


All these needs, and literally millions of hands that are idle.  A wise woman recently told me that instead of social clubs, the churches need to be hospitals.  We need to roll up our sleeves, scrub to the elbows and wade in.


I am not saying that you don't have many responsibilities as a Christian, surely you must first to your own walk, then to the walk of your family--being what God has called you to be.  Then, wade in, and let's do some surgery.  Let's get covered in blood, knowing that God has called us to be Samaritans, not Levites who walk by keeping our hands clean.

It's time to remove excuses, and truly claim the name of the one who walked among the lepers...risking all for those close and those near... doing the hard things, in His name.