Christian Zombies from Outer Space (James 2)

Christian Zombies from Outer Space (James 2)

James 2.26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. [nkjv]

I've been in church for the past 30 years. Being a pastor's kid you gain a unique perspective on church life. Not only do you get to see behind the scenes but also you get to sit through a lot of meetings. I estimate that over the past 30 years I've sat through over 4020 sermons. I think I could safely say that I've heard just about everything you possibly could on what it means to be a Christian... until recently!

A few years ago I started working with an organisation called Compassion. They do amazing work ministering to children in extreme poverty, working with local churches to provide food, clothing, shelter, education, medicine and hope to these often forgotten ones.

Compassion, as is exists today, is a huge international ministry but it started as a result of one man's faith and obedience. In 1952, Everett Swanson, an American missionary in South Korea, went for a morning walk through the streets of Seoul. He saw homeless children dressed in rags, sleeping in doorways to avoid the cold. He came across what he presumed to be a pile of rags being loaded onto a garbage truck. Upon closer inspection, he was horrified to discover that the rags were in fact the bodies of street children who had died during the night from exposure.

The challenge which came to him from the Lord was, "Now that you've seen, what will you do?" 50 years later, Compassion has ministered to over two million children in need in over 25 countries. It's this same challenge which James presents us in his writings. Christianity is best expressed by one person, stepping out in faith, to show love to someone else.

To be a Christian takes more than just lipservice. It is not enough to talk the talk, but we need to be people who act as well. If our faith has no action attached to it, then it is dead.

My heart's passion right from when I was young has always been to be someone like an Everett Swanson in this world. To see this become a reality, I need to stir myself, get off the couch and begin to put my faith into action.

Lord help me to be a Christian who sees the needs and then stirs to action. Let me be faithful with every opportunity which comes my way and grant me boldness to step out in faith and minister Your love to a needy world.