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? —James 2:15-16
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ — Matthew 25:44-45
It has been evident in my lifetime that it is quite easy to find people of sympathy… people who feel bad about bad situations. You can even find many people with strong opinions, suggestions, and demands for what should be done to help in each situation. What is not so easy to find though are people who take theirs opinions, concerns, and words to put them into action. It’s easy to observe and be aware of a problem, but working to fix it is a whole other matter. (If you are reading this and feel offended by the bluntness of this blog, please know that you may actually be one who does care, or that God may be using these words to cause conviction and move you into action.)
I personally love the story of the little boy throwing starfish back into the ocean one at a time. There are a multitude of starfish dying on the shore and the boy starts throwing them back into the water. An old wise man who sees what the boy is doing comes to him to advise him to give up; that his efforts could not save them all. The boy wisely leans over, picks up another starfish, tosses it to the see, and says to the old man, “To that one, it matters.”
This boy had seen the situation and had been moved to action. While all are not called to the same work, all are called to some work. Whatever we do for the least of these is whatever we do for the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! I am a weak sinner, saved to sainthood daily only by the miraculous and marvelous grace, mercy, love, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But I have been moved to action. My feeble attempts to serve Jesus as I seek to help and fight for children, are seen by God as an action done unto Him. When I live for me, I rob God of blessing. When I live to help, love, and serve others, I live to help, love, and serve God. I want to be marked and known as a man of action. It may not produce the results I would like, in the timing I would like. I may not see all the starfish make it back into the water… see all the children who are orphaned and homeless to have homes, family, and education… but if I get to see one or two saved it IS worth it! Lord, please continue to move me from words to action!
