Do you have faith without action? As moms, we are trying to survive each day. Do you want to put action to your faith? We are going to learn how that happens!
It really isn’t enough that we have faith in Jesus Christ and do our best to keep from living an ungodly life. In our home, I purged toys, books, videos, pictures, and anything that would distract us from living a life focused on our Savior.
Let’s dig right in!!
Digging Deeper: James 2:14-26
Key Verse: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26
Faith and Works in Our Actions
Stop and take the time to read and think about James 2:14-26 before reading further. You will see where I am going with this a little better!
Cleaning up my act on the outside is good and an important step to take, but James is telling us to move it to the next level and put our faith into action!!
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? James 2:14
THIS is why many people are active in church activities by teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, being on committees, cleaning the church, and helping in many other ways.
If you are a mother with several littles, this may not be your season to be active in church. When I was homeschooling our children, I did nothing at church.
No matter what season you are currently in, you can show your faith by reaching out to a friend who is in need.
Our faith is not a dormant kind of thing. It is an action word. A verb. It is a DO-able thing that is an outpouring and expression of faith.
Taking Action and DOing Your Faith
In order to DO something about your faith, it is important to prepare for action.
Otherwise, your efforts will be in your own strength and do nothing more than show off your talents and abilities with the ending results of depleted energy.
DO-ing for your friend ought to be energizing because you are DO-ing it for Christ.
Here are some simple things that you can do to prepare for opportunities to help and encourage a friend.
GET into God’s Word daily.
PRAY fervently for specific friends as God brings them to mind.
BELIEVE God is going to do something through your life.
DO something for a friend. Reach out to encourage and affirm her in Jesus.
An Illustration of a Friend in Need
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things that are needed for the body, what does it profit?James:15-16
These two verses are ‘painting’ a picture or illustration to help you get an idea of what our works should look like when they reflect our faith.
Let’s just say that you know a couple at church who have no money for food and clothing because the husband is out of a job.
Do we pray for their needs to be supplied and leave it there?
Or do you greet them and chat with them after church and end with, “God bless you! Have a wonderful day?”
Culture a heart that is sensitive to the needs of other Believing sisters.
Ask her how she is really doing.
Ask her what you can DO to help her.
Better yet, make her a meal or give her a little money gift to help their dilemma. I am trusting your judgment here. This passage is talking about Believers you know. We have all met people looking for ‘handouts’ and this is not what these verses in James are talking about.
Faith put into Action by DO-ing
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without yourIn the same way that WORKS without FAITH is dead, so FAITH without WORKS is dead.
We need to make our faith into a verb and put some action to what we believe.
We need to be DO-ing.
This is possible even for a mom of littles who doesn’t get out too much. Are you on social media? Most young moms are.
I know a young mom who reads my blog and has 5 littles under about seven or eight. She often posts Bible verses or shares a good sermon or article encouraging others in their faith. She keeps it balanced by sharing cute pictures of her children.
I know another mom who is not on social media. She has a teenager come over weekly in hopes that she will encourage this young girl to make her walk with Jesus real. She also invites several young mothers to visit her to encourage herself and these ladies.
Never forget that you are influencing your littles to want what you have through the life you live before them.
No matter how you spend your time each day, homeschooling, working from home, in an office, or retail store, you can find creative ways to reach out to other ladies who are needy in some way.
Make a meal for a new mom.
Text another mom and encourage her to keep going.
Write a real note on real stationery. You will bless the socks off a friend who never gets a personal letter in her mailbox!!
Call a friend to encourage her (not gossip in the name of “I’m praying for you!” Ahem!)
Give your friend a day out without children. Always a blessing!
I hope you have been encouraged and blessed today.
What other ways is God speaking to your heart through these verses?
Missed previous posts on the book of James? Go HERE!!
Judith lives in the beautiful Pocono Mountains with the most amazing husband for the past 45 fleeting years. She has been blessed with seven wonderful children through birth, adoption, and tubal reversal. When her oldest was five, she quit her job on the night shift and homeschooled for over 25 years. God has taken the imperfections of her life and keeps turning them into something that can be used for His glory. She writes in her spare time over at His Unmeasured Grace to inspire and equip women for grace-filled living.
