As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)
A FEW YEARS BACK, a well-known minister simplified my thoughts on the nature of human beings by saying, “We are a spirit, our spirit possesses a soul and we live in a body.” In other words, our bodies aren’t all there is to us, but it is what others see and how they identify us.
James explained that our actions, good or bad, reveal who we really are. They tell what is in our heart. He wanted his fellow Christians to understand that works are not the source of our salvation but the result of it. If there really is a seed of faith in our lives, seasons of drought may come but it won’t be the norm. There may be times when a Christian just can’t seem to get life right, but God, in His love for us, uses all things to mature us, shine us, and polish us so we can be a light that attracts others to Him.
We appreciate beauty, but there is nothing that quite compares to the beauty of consistent kindness in a world that judges, condemns, and ignores. This kind of love in action starts in a heart that has been touched by God, one that is eager to make a difference in the needy hearts and lives of a seeking world.
Find a way to reveal God’s light through your actions today.
Antje Hill and her husband spend their time between Mississippi and Michigan. She is passionate about her faith, her marriage, her sons and writing.
© 2018 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
