James 2:8-10, 14-18 - If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. ... What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Ouch! This is a passage that makes Lutherans squirm. We are so used to talking about how we are saved by faith, not by works, that this passage from James comes like a slap in the face.
He's right, of course. Faith without works is dead. If you've been a Christian for longer than about five minutes, it's reasonable for people to expect to see Jesus living through you. It's what He does. It would be easier to hide a supernova than to hide God once He's moved into your life.
Because really, what happens every time Jesus runs across someone who is sick, or demon-possessed, or even dead? He helps that person, that's what. Can you think of any Bible stories where He walks away and says, "Sorry, it's My day off, I can't be bothered"? Of course not! Even when Jesus was in the process of getting arrested, He took a minute to heal the ear of His enemy! (See Luke 22:51.)
This is the God who cared about us so much that He came into this world to suffer, to die, and to rise again—and for what? To make His enemies into His friends—no, more than that, His children. To forgive us when we had turned against Him, and to give us peace and joy as His people. To give life to us who once were dead, and make us living members of His body, the church.
Jesus hasn't changed in two thousand years. And if you are a believer, He lives in you. So all James is saying to us is this: "Be what you are already. Allow the Spirit to do what He does—to use you as Jesus' hands and feet, to reach hurting people. Don't hide Jesus—let Him live through you. He will take care of the rest."
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, please show Yourself through me, and what I do. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. If you were going to create a trap to catch Jesus, what would you use as the bait? Why?
2. Have you ever tried to hide your faith? Did it work? Why or why not?
3. It can be hard to see the Spirit at work in you yourself, but easy in others. Think of a Christian you've known for a long time. How have you seen the Spirit work in that person's life, making him or her more like Jesus?
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Chronicles 22 Joel 1 2 Corinthians 9
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