Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly: A 7-Day Devotional by Pat BarrettSample

DAY 4: ACT JUSTLY

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. James 2:14-18

I really love the book of James. I think one of the reasons I find it really fascinating is because James was the brother (half-brother) of Jesus. Imagine that - growing up, firsthand around Jesus. That means he had a front row seat not to just the words of Jesus, but the behaviors and actions of Jesus. After this experience, James says, “Faith without deeds is dead.” There is no life in it. There’s no substance to it. You cannot separate true faith from living that faith out in real life. 

What we say matters. What we do matters more and actually reveals what we truly believe.

Interestingly, our actions and behaviors have the ability to shape our beliefs. When Jesus called his disciples, He didn’t give a prerequisite of belief. He simply said, “Follow me.” Watch me. Do what I do. The Sermon on the Mount is filled with actions that help lead us into real faith. For example, if you want to be a more generous person, then go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41). It doesn’t matter whether you “feel” generous or not. “BE" generous and watch how your heart, over time, grows more and more in natural generosity. You can even do it with a bad attitude at first. If we had to wait to do good in the world until we were in the “mood”, we’d be in serious trouble. 

So today let’s try something. Whether we want to or not… go out of your way to help someone. Inconvenience yourself to offer assistance to someone else. Serve someone, and then take note of what happens in your heart. You may be surprised. 

It all comes down to this

To be Your hands and feet