Daily Scripture: James 1:22 Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it. 23 If you hear the message and don’t obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror 24 and forget what they look like as soon as they leave. 25 But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget.
26 If you think you are being religious, but can’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless. 27 Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.
Reflection Questions:James the apostle (most likely the James who was Jesus' brother—cf. Matthew 13:54, 55, 1 Corinthians 15:5-8) said God seeks "doers of the word," not just "hearers." Pure devotion to God, he said, does not consist in torrents of even religious words, but in deeds of generosity, particularly toward the powerless. That generosity, he said, is one key factor that keeps the world from contaminating us.
- Have you ever known a person who "talked a good game" about religious devotion, but whose actions and attitudes did not match their words? If so, how did that person affect the other people over whom they had influence? When have you discovered a mismatch between your words about faith and your actions?
- Greed is one of the major ways the world's values can contaminate our lives. In what ways can a commitment "to care for orphans and widows in their difficulties" help reverse greed's damaging effect on our characters? Might the spiritual benefits to those who care for the powerless match or exceed the material benefit to those we help?
Lord Jesus, keep me aware of the places where my actions don't match my words. I want to be a doer of your word. Guide and mold me into that kind of person. Amen.
Our GPS Insights blog shares reflections each day from our pastors, staff and congregants.
Read today's reflection from Angela LaVallie online. Angela is the Worship Logistics Program Director at Resurrection. She oversees preparing the Sanctuary for worship, supports Vibe worship and volunteers in the Student Center, provides oversight for Holy Communion at the Leawood campus, and assists with worship logistics at conferences.Insight from Angela LaVallie
Angela LaVallie is the Worship Logistics Program Director at Resurrection. She oversees preparing the Sanctuary for worship, supports Vibe worship and volunteers in the Student Center, provides oversight for Holy Communion at the Leawood campus, and assists with worship logistics at conferences.
This past weekend, I attended the Inspired for Life women’s conference and got to hear speakers who have faced personal challenges and, both because of and in spite of what they endured, have written books and speak to audiences to encourage, educate, and make a difference.
Sometimes when I hear about these amazing, high-impact ways people are serving, it inspires me to go out and make a difference. Other times, though, it almost hinders me. I struggle with discerning how to be in service to others. Is God calling me to adventurous service that touches the lives of thousands of people? Is God challenging me to seek out ways to serve that challenge me on occasion? Is God asking me to live an ordinary life and to serve daily in small ways that will help just one or two people at a time?
The Message version of James 1:27 says, “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight…” The thing that can be tricky about reading the Bible is that it sometimes isn’t as specific as we’d like it to be. How do we reach out to the homeless and loveless? How often? How do we determine which homeless and loveless people we reach out to?
Several years ago, I read a book called Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment by Erwin McManus. One of the points that stuck with me was that sometimes we have to just do something. If we wait for discernment or a big opportunity or a sign from God, we might be missing out on helping others. If we do something to live out God’s love and to be God’s hands and feet out in the world, we are honoring God. Yes, maybe God has big plans for us. But if we faithfully live out God’s love in the little things, maybe we’ll be more open to faithfully respond when/if the big opportunities come our way.
If you’ve got some time this coming Saturday, I invite you to join me to at our church serve day where you can make a difference in the life of someone in need in Kansas City or around the world. Learn more at www.cor.org/shareyourheart. Hope to see you there!Church of the Resurrection
This past weekend, I attended the Inspired for Life women’s conference and got to hear speakers who have faced personal challenges and, both because of and in spite of what they endured, have written books and speak to audiences to encourage, educate, and make a difference.
Sometimes when I hear about these amazing, high-impact ways people are serving, it inspires me to go out and make a difference. Other times, though, it almost hinders me. I struggle with discerning how to be in service to others. Is God calling me to adventurous service that touches the lives of thousands of people? Is God challenging me to seek out ways to serve that challenge me on occasion? Is God asking me to live an ordinary life and to serve daily in small ways that will help just one or two people at a time?
The Message version of James 1:27 says, “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight…” The thing that can be tricky about reading the Bible is that it sometimes isn’t as specific as we’d like it to be. How do we reach out to the homeless and loveless? How often? How do we determine which homeless and loveless people we reach out to?
Several years ago, I read a book called Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment by Erwin McManus. One of the points that stuck with me was that sometimes we have to just do something. If we wait for discernment or a big opportunity or a sign from God, we might be missing out on helping others. If we do something to live out God’s love and to be God’s hands and feet out in the world, we are honoring God. Yes, maybe God has big plans for us. But if we faithfully live out God’s love in the little things, maybe we’ll be more open to faithfully respond when/if the big opportunities come our way.
If you’ve got some time this coming Saturday, I invite you to join me to at our church serve day where you can make a difference in the life of someone in need in Kansas City or around the world. Learn more at www.cor.org/shareyourheart. Hope to see you there!Church of the Resurrection
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
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