Eight Days of Hope: When Believing Results in Doing

I got sidetracked this morning and ended up with Rahab the harlot. My intention was to read James in The Message paraphrase, then move to my study Bible. A phrase in James 2 caught my attention, though, and I couldn't get past it. 

"that seamless unity of believing and doing"

The phrase was used to describe why Rahab helped the spies. The spies knocked on her door, shared their story with her, and she believed them. 100%. No doubt. Because she believed, she acted. 

It was that simple.

It's supposed to be that simple for us, too. Because we believe, we should act. But do we? 

Let's be clear about something. Scriptural "doing" does not mean clicking on social media posts. The seamless doing that comes from believing involves moving away from our electronic devices and encountering flesh-and-blood humans who are hurting and in need. 

Ponder that for a moment. 

Sometimes our action is as simple as gathering supplies for a homeless care pack. Sometimes that action involves leaving home to go to the other side of the world. Sometimes, our believing carries us to our fellow Americans in desperate need of help.

Hearts are never more open than in times of crisis. People in Texas are still in the midst of the Harvey battle and the recovery will be ongoing for years, as those of us in post-Katrina Mississippi know very well. 

We can help, and we should.

Eight Days of Hope, headquartered in Tupelo, MS is a wonderful organization providing disaster relief and rapid response. They already have boots on the ground in Houston and they could use our help. Follow the link to their website. You can learn more and sign up to help. Not everyone has to hammer and paint. Some people are needed to help in the kitchen, as well. 

I've volunteered with them before, and it was an amazing experience. These men and women love God and love their neighbor, exactly as Jesus said. They live out "the seamless unity of believing and doing" on a daily basis.

Let's let our belief spur us into action, too. Take a few days away from your "usual" life and help out. If you can't go, give. 

We can make a difference in the life of someone in crisis, but only if we allow our belief to blossom into action. 

Here's a hard question that we all must answer: What work are we doing that gives evidence of our faith? 

"Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?" James 2:24 The Message 

"You can see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone." James 2:24 nasb

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*photo above (courtesy of Diane Coleman Becroft) is of 8DOH volunteers in Houston this week.

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When You Give Up Techniques to Pray Powerful Prayers

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If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.
#8DOH #eightdaysofhope 

Eight Days of Hope, part 3:

I'd like to introduce you to David. He is a pastor in our area, and was part of the Eight Days of Hope construction team repairing a deck at the site where I worked on Saturday. I first met him when I nearly ran him down with a wheelbarrow full of wet dirt. It was way too full for my prissy self, and I had next to no control. He was standing on the ground a few millimeters from my path as I headed to the hole I was to fill, and my wheel hit a depression in the ground. There was a terrible lurch and I barely avoided hitting him. It was not my favorite way to meet someone, but he was gracious. After that, I headed down the path, emitting "beep, beeps " as I went, hoping to avoid a collision. 

It was typical-summer-warm and the heat index was climbing. He kept right on working, drinking water non-stop. Pretty soon, a member of his team returned with a long blue rectangle. It was a tent canopy. I was surprised he'd thought to bring it, but grateful for the extra shade it afforded. 

At lunch, we sat under his canopy and visited. It turned out the tent canopy was a necessity, not a luxury. David had survived two previous heat strokes. He was not taking a chance on a third, so he had come prepared with all he needed to avoid another illness. 

I was frankly surprised. He saw a need that he could meet, and he did what it took to meet that need, while still being a good steward of the body God has given him. There was nothing about "I can't" in his vocabulary, but neither was he careless about the precious gift of health. He knows he has limits, respects them, and works within them. 

Don't get me wrong. He wasn't focused on his health. In typical nosy doctor style, I pressed until I had the history. What he was focused on was Jesus. You should see his eyes light up when he talks about Jesus coming back!  He is passionate about the Word of God, and it was a joy to meet this brother in Christ. 

I frequently see people who struggle to balance what needs to be done for their health with what they want and need to do for other responsibilities. I often hear them say, "Oh, I couldn't do what you said because..." Probably you and I have done the same thing. We could all take a lesson from David. He wanted to serve, and he did, without drama, without fanfare, and with limited risk. He was not just a good servant, he was a good steward. 

The next time you struggle about balance, don't just do what you can. Do what you should, as well. 

Be a servant and a steward.