Works Mark the Christian
Here is a story James would have liked.
Francis of Assisi once invited an apprentice to go with him to a nearby village to preach. The young monk quickly agreed, seizing an opportunity to hear his teacher speak. When they arrived in the village, St. Francis began to visit with the people.
First he stopped in on the butcher. Next a visit with the cobbler. Then a short walk to the home of a woman who'd recently buried her husband. After that a stop at the school to chat with the teacher. This continued throughout the morning. After some time, Francis told his disciple that it was time to return to the abbey.
The student didn't understand. "But we came to preach," he reminded. "We haven't preached a sermon."
"Haven't we?" questioned the elder. "People have watched us, listened to us, responded to us. Every word we have spoken, every deed we have done has been a sermon. We have preached all morning."
James would have liked that. As far as he was concerned, Christianity was more action on Monday than worship on Sunday. "My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?" (2:14)
His message is bare-knuckled; his style is bare-boned. Talk is cheap, he argues. Service is invaluable.
It's not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian. In James' book of logic, it only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words. But with our lives.
Or as St. Francis is noted as saying, "Preach without ceasing. If you must, use words."
James would have liked that too.
-Introduction to James from The Inspirational Study Bible by Max Lucado
Francis of Assisi once invited an apprentice to go with him to a nearby village to preach. The young monk quickly agreed, seizing an opportunity to hear his teacher speak. When they arrived in the village, St. Francis began to visit with the people.
First he stopped in on the butcher. Next a visit with the cobbler. Then a short walk to the home of a woman who'd recently buried her husband. After that a stop at the school to chat with the teacher. This continued throughout the morning. After some time, Francis told his disciple that it was time to return to the abbey.
The student didn't understand. "But we came to preach," he reminded. "We haven't preached a sermon."
"Haven't we?" questioned the elder. "People have watched us, listened to us, responded to us. Every word we have spoken, every deed we have done has been a sermon. We have preached all morning."
James would have liked that. As far as he was concerned, Christianity was more action on Monday than worship on Sunday. "My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?" (2:14)
His message is bare-knuckled; his style is bare-boned. Talk is cheap, he argues. Service is invaluable.
It's not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian. In James' book of logic, it only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words. But with our lives.
Or as St. Francis is noted as saying, "Preach without ceasing. If you must, use words."
James would have liked that too.
-Introduction to James from The Inspirational Study Bible by Max Lucado
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