Of Faith and Works

Of Faith and Works

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” 
                                                                                                        James 2:14-17

I have written about this before Faith with out works is dead. Francis of Assisi put it this way,
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”
                                                                                   Francis of Assisi
This scripture was brought home to me when I was at an event a few months ago. An elderly woman suddenly developed cramping in her foot and was in a lot of pain.
One man leaned over and started to pray for her. Another went to his knees and started massaging the woman’s foot.
The within minutes the woman was pain free. But the stark contrast of the actions of the two men reminded me of the above verse.
It was a simple thing both men could have done but one thought prayer would be enough while the other put his faith into action.
A simple act done in the name of the Lord brought a smile on the face of the elderly woman.
We can all do simple acts. Even if it’s just raking the leaves for an elderly neighbour, shovelling snow or taking someone shopping or whatever.
Actions done in the name of the Lord quite often speak louder than words.
Think about it.