Recently I had a friend tell me about an experience that he had at work one day. He had just hired a new employee to fill a position that had been empty for some time. The newly hired employee was very qualified, very personable, and very willing to take on the new position. He did reveal to my friend that he had just come out of a bad relationship and was trying to do the best that he could to get back on his feet. Trusting his instincts, my friend went ahead with hiring this individual. He was given a start date and then sent on his way. The start date came and went, but the new employee did not show up as planned. My friend tried to call and left messages and even texted the new employee, but heard nothing. Not willing to give up that easily, my friend decided against continuing with interviewing other candidates, and instead, held out this new employee would fulfill his promise to start the job. Finally he texted and said that he had been tied up at his last employer and would soon be in to start the new job. A few days later, the new employee showed up with all of his things, ready to start the new job. But my friend said that something just didn't feel right. He went out to speak to his new employee and was not prepared for what was about to take place. The new candidate revealed that the entire time my friend was trying to get in touch with him about not showing on the planned date, he was in a motel drunk. He had been in a slump ever since losing his wife several years ago, and his girlfirend of the last 3 years had broken up with him and he ended up losing his house, his job, all things that he had placed value on. He had been so depressed that he had turned to drinking and could not bring himself to be honest during the first interview, but that now that he was here, he thought it best that he was honest about his situation. He told my friend that he needed the job, but that he would understand if he was turned away due to what he had just confessed. He was then silent and prepared for the worst. But, something miraculous was about to take place.
“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?” (James 2:14-16)
My friend listened to a voice that said that everyone is deserving of a second chance. He then told the new employee to head to the back of the building so that he could unload his things and get set up. This new employee looked at him astonished and asked if he still had the job. The answer was yes, everyone has a life and everyone gets caught up in things that can bring them down, but everyone is also deserving of a second chance. This new employee looked at him again in astonishment and proceeded to the area that he was directed to so that he could unload his things and get to work.
Here is the rest of the story, my friend was me.
Jesus taught over and over thru His Words and His actions that we are to demonstrate God's love for others thru our deeds. We must ask ourselves, what has the Lord done for me that I was not deserving of? God is a God of second chances! His Word teaches us that we are not to judge, we are not to condemn, we are not to exact revenge! These are all responses that are reserved for the Lord and the Lord alone!
Our passage of Scripture today is a reminder to us that when we confess to ourselves or others our faith, we are to demonstrate that faith thru our actions! It would have be very easy for me to turn this new employee away and not looked back. But God teaches us that we are supposed to believers of action. How do we tie this in with our Scripture? It is very simple. James was teaching us to be believers of actions! I could have stood there and told this new employee all about his faults and why I can't use him and how he needs Jesus and then sent him on his way. But, is that what our Lord would have done? Do any of us deserve any less than what we have received from the Lord? Have you been forgiven much? Have you received a second chance? These are questions that many of very seldom ask when we are dealing with the world. Most of the time we try to exercise our faith around those that we are comfortable with, such as those we are in church with. What good is that? They and we are already supposed to know the Lord. Who are the least of these and why are we afraid to exercise our beliefs and our faith where it counts? To the lost, to the suffering to the backslidden to the unbeliever.
The rest of the story goes like this: I went with him to help him unload and he decided that he needed to talk with me some more. He said that there was something about me that he couldn't put his finger on, but that I was different than any supervisors that he had ever been around before. I explained to him that I knew the the Lord and that may be what he was encountering. He just looked at me for a few moments, then he looked me right in the eye and confessed that he was suffering and didn't know what to do and would I pray for him. I reached out and caught his hand and right then and there I prayed for his release from the bondage that he was being held in and I prayed for God to speak to him and let him know that He is very real. I prayed over this man, that I hardly knew, for several minutes with words of power and healing coming from only what I can say was the Holy Spirit speaking thru me. When I finished, this man embraced me for several minutes and wept. I just held him and listened. When he regained his composure, he said that no one had ever done that with him before and he had never felt God like that.
It has been several weeks now, and this employee is one of the best that I have ever had. He is different, changed. He smiles a lot and is extremely helpful and humble. He hasn't had any problems with alcohol since. He often questions me about God and prayer and I answer him,
What are you doing today to exercise your faith and what are you doing to demonstrate your faith? It is very easy, as James has told us, to say that you have faith, but do you have the works to go with your profession of faith? Are you willing to put that faith to work where in matters? If you hesitate to say yes to these questions I would encourage you to seek the Lord for help. What has Jesus done for you? Shouldn't you be doing the same for others? It's your choice, but it is the Lord's command:
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34 NIV
May God Richly Bless You!
“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?” (James 2:14-16)
My friend listened to a voice that said that everyone is deserving of a second chance. He then told the new employee to head to the back of the building so that he could unload his things and get set up. This new employee looked at him astonished and asked if he still had the job. The answer was yes, everyone has a life and everyone gets caught up in things that can bring them down, but everyone is also deserving of a second chance. This new employee looked at him again in astonishment and proceeded to the area that he was directed to so that he could unload his things and get to work.
Here is the rest of the story, my friend was me.
Jesus taught over and over thru His Words and His actions that we are to demonstrate God's love for others thru our deeds. We must ask ourselves, what has the Lord done for me that I was not deserving of? God is a God of second chances! His Word teaches us that we are not to judge, we are not to condemn, we are not to exact revenge! These are all responses that are reserved for the Lord and the Lord alone!
Our passage of Scripture today is a reminder to us that when we confess to ourselves or others our faith, we are to demonstrate that faith thru our actions! It would have be very easy for me to turn this new employee away and not looked back. But God teaches us that we are supposed to believers of action. How do we tie this in with our Scripture? It is very simple. James was teaching us to be believers of actions! I could have stood there and told this new employee all about his faults and why I can't use him and how he needs Jesus and then sent him on his way. But, is that what our Lord would have done? Do any of us deserve any less than what we have received from the Lord? Have you been forgiven much? Have you received a second chance? These are questions that many of very seldom ask when we are dealing with the world. Most of the time we try to exercise our faith around those that we are comfortable with, such as those we are in church with. What good is that? They and we are already supposed to know the Lord. Who are the least of these and why are we afraid to exercise our beliefs and our faith where it counts? To the lost, to the suffering to the backslidden to the unbeliever.
The rest of the story goes like this: I went with him to help him unload and he decided that he needed to talk with me some more. He said that there was something about me that he couldn't put his finger on, but that I was different than any supervisors that he had ever been around before. I explained to him that I knew the the Lord and that may be what he was encountering. He just looked at me for a few moments, then he looked me right in the eye and confessed that he was suffering and didn't know what to do and would I pray for him. I reached out and caught his hand and right then and there I prayed for his release from the bondage that he was being held in and I prayed for God to speak to him and let him know that He is very real. I prayed over this man, that I hardly knew, for several minutes with words of power and healing coming from only what I can say was the Holy Spirit speaking thru me. When I finished, this man embraced me for several minutes and wept. I just held him and listened. When he regained his composure, he said that no one had ever done that with him before and he had never felt God like that.
It has been several weeks now, and this employee is one of the best that I have ever had. He is different, changed. He smiles a lot and is extremely helpful and humble. He hasn't had any problems with alcohol since. He often questions me about God and prayer and I answer him,
What are you doing today to exercise your faith and what are you doing to demonstrate your faith? It is very easy, as James has told us, to say that you have faith, but do you have the works to go with your profession of faith? Are you willing to put that faith to work where in matters? If you hesitate to say yes to these questions I would encourage you to seek the Lord for help. What has Jesus done for you? Shouldn't you be doing the same for others? It's your choice, but it is the Lord's command:
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34 NIV
May God Richly Bless You!
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