James 2:15-16

New American Standard Version

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, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

Pastor’s Paraphrase

          Think of a situation like this – a brother or sister in the Lord doesn’t have clothing to wear or food to eat each day. One of you responds to their plight only by saying, “Well, I hope things work out all right for you. Try to stay out of the cold and eat well.” But then you do nothing to help them with the basic needs of life that they are lacking, how have you helped them at all?

 “How does this help me become more like Him?”

          I knew an individual once who told us of his years as a football player at the University of Colorado.  He told us what an honor it had been to play under the legendary coach, Bill McCartney, who was the founder of Promise Keepers.  He went on to tell us that following his graduation from the university, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos and played in one of their Super Bowl games returning punts before a blown knee ended his NFL career.  It was a very impressive athletic resume indeed.

          About this time, my sons were attending Baylor University and became good friends with Coach McCartney’s son, who was also a student there.  In conversation, my sons mentioned our friend by name and asked “Mac” if he knew him when he played football at the University of Colorado for his dad.  His reply was that he knew every player who had played for his dad but he had never heard of our friend. 

          To make a long story somewhat shorter, that set off some investigation on our part that revealed that none of our friend’s story had been true.  He had never played for the University of Colorado or the Denver Broncos.  He had played some football for a very small and obscure college in the state but none of what he told us was fact. As convincing as his words had been, the reality was that he was a fake!

          There are many people that tell a good story and have persuasive words about their religion.  They have learned all the right clichés and know how to tell a convincing and impressive story – that is, until you compare their story to the actions of their lives.  If Jesus truly lives in us, we won’t just say that we love people as He did – we will truly love them and our actions will show it.  We won’t just talk a good game about how we care about the hurting, hungry, and hopeless – our lives will demonstrate that what we say is really real.

          People who have truly been born again by God’s grace and transformed by the presence and work of the Holy Spirit within them will not only talk the part, they will live it.  People with discernment will be able to tell that what they are saying is not an image they are trying to project – they will be able to tell by their actions that it is sincere and genuine.  We won’t just say that people matter to us – our actions will show that they really do.

“How should I pray for Him to change my life?”

Ask the Lord to remind you each day that before people hear your words, they read your life.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would so shape your attitudes that your actions would reveal Him for others to see.  Look for others today that you could love in both word and deed.

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