From Faith Inaction to Faith in Action

I have to say, we had a really great message in church this morning. Our Faith in Action campaign culminated with service projects last weekend, and over 170 people from our church contributed almost 600 volunteer hours. And it was raining...and one of the guys had just lost his job the day before but came to serve joyfully anyway.
In church today we heard from some of those who served and how it affected them. I joked that they didn't ask me to share because they only wanted one to two minute snippets. Impossible...

And then the message was on putting hands and feet to our faith, that basically "faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:26). Basically, we need to live our faith, not just give it lip service. This is my language, and actually the central message of a Bible Study I have that will be released in March, UNDOING CHURCH: NOT YOUR MOTHER'S BIBLE STUDY about being the church, not just going to church.

But I thought about moving from inaction to action and the things that stop us in our tracks, all basically lies meant to keep us in a paralyzed state of inertia:

• One person can't make a difference.
• I'm not qualified.
• I'm too busy.
• We're all going to die anyway, so why bother.
• It's not in my job description, my problem, blah, blah, blah...

But here's the deal, if we're Christians, we must act. "Saving faith moves your head, your heart and our hands. Faith alone saves us, but the Faith which saves us in not alone."

These words were spoken by our pastor this morning, and I wanted to jump out of my seat and scream, "YES!" It's the Samaritan lifestyle, something I have been giving a great deal of thought to lately. To have, to take, to make the time to be aware of life and needs around us, to be moving slowly enough to respond, and not simply wave off the needs as a nuisance or an interruption. To adopt the Samaritan lifestyle guarantees interruptions, but also blessings.

How do you live your faith? There is a hymn that has the words, "They will know that we are Christians by our Love". Have you read the book UnChristian? Love is not a word that most non-Christians use to describe us. Hypocrites, homo phobics and judgemental are closer to the top of the list. So do something to put your faith in action and change the perception. I know that those we served got a glimpse of Christian love through our service, our faith in action last weekend, but it is a lifestyle, not a program or campaign.

I echo here the verse our pastor used in closing, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me'" (Isaiah 6:8). And I want to go.