Functional Faith

Living out our Christian faith is key

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.James 1:22-27

The holidays are the most dangerous of times for humanity and, most especially, believers. Reason being is that drives people into a euphoria that barely survives the wind of revelry. Every town becomes its own Philadelphia, city of brotherly love. The Christian Faith is far more than a periodic sprint of kindness.

Coming from the heritage of rich Jewish culture and festivals. Almost every month was evoking a sense of pride or contriteness. Unfortunately, even the best of us can make holiness ritually based far more intentionally relational. The Apostle James, half-brother of Jesus, had a front row seat to the dangers of appearing holy for a season.

Being a doer, and not only hearer, of the Word harkens to the duty of intentionality more than on holidays. The Apostle Paul mirrors this sentiment as he urges a daily conviction of obedience that starts in the mind:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.Romans 12:1-2

We hear the sounds of Christmas carols on December 26th as we annually start our countdown to the next explosion of presents and eggnog. We hop skip from holiday to holiday moved by the sirens of commercialism but often leave a vacuum people in dire need of the reason we rise every day: Almighty God, the Righteous, Christ Jesus, the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit, the Renewer. Jesus is the Reason for the Season is catchy but fault of the Season isn't every day!

When James talks about looking to the mirror at a natural face; that is setting the standard of holiness against the merits of our fellow man which only yields short sprints of charity and obedience. Instead of letting our faith permeate the culture, we get swept away by post holiday sales and abandon the spirit of charity and good will to all men. We forget what our faith is about because of the tide of materialism tugging at our hearts. Our short attention spans move us onto our daily regiments and compartmentalize faith and charity until another day. It's like the proverbial Bible accumulating dust and wear because of non-use.

Jesus is our/the Perfect Example of Charity and obedience. As we set our gaze on Him, we should be inspired to follow His consistent acts of kindness that transformed communities and nations. Consistency requires commitment that exceeds the occasional festive time. It's exhausting (Luke 5:16) and requires perseverance (Romans 5:3-5) but worthy of the mission: God's glory!

Let's stay focused on that last part: God's glory! Verses 26-27 has been taken as a recipe for compassion that tends compensate for the greater part of our Christian walk, intimacy with God through prayer, devotion, Bible study, evangelism and discipleship. Feeding the homeless and fatherless is wonderful but severely lacking if people do not understand Who, What and Why you are serving them.

There are ministries of compassion that are named after wonderful men and women that were just being obedient. Unfortunately, more attention gets placed on the ministry and acts of kindness rather than the Author (Hebrews 12:1-2) and source of all that is right and good. Functional people of faith draw men and women to Christ because they are conduits of His love, mercy and grace.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.James 1:17-18

Let us abandon that world's efforts to jettison the Metaphysical realm of Heaven, and its Founder, as the inspiration of all that is good and right in the world. Humanism strips away God's glory, especially around the holidays. Holiday spirit is the incarnation of secular humanism when it forsakes the Stalwart of Goodness, Jesus Christ. Our daily walk with Christ should be a perpetual reminder to the world why they would want to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.