Does What You Believe Reflect How You Live?

Does What You Believe Reflect How You Live? Or said another way does How You Live Reflect What You Believe. If we're being honest with one another, and I am, No. No my life does not always reflect my convictions and call to ministry.

I was reading through James earlier this afternoon and I was highly convicted multiple times. particularly by the following passage:

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 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? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 1:14-17

How can we call ourselves Christ followers when we pass the homeless person who wants food, the lady stranded on the side of the road, or we don't feed the hungry? We say we are Christians but I think many times we forget that does not just mean that we are going to heaven for a final destination, but it affects every aspect of what we are doing NOW. It means literally that we follow Christ, Christ did not pass up the hungry or hurting - He met them where they were.

I heard a story yesterday about a girl who was selling herself into prostitution because she had no where else to turn to for monetary help, when asked why she didn't turn to the church she responded, "So they can make me feel worse then I already Do?".

There are people hurting all around us, people who are scared to come to the church or Christians for help because we will make them feel worse then they already feel. What do we do with the girl who is pregnant? What do we do with the guy who is homeless? Do we say accept Christ, clean up your mess, and we will help you? NO! We give till it hurts then we give some more.

I personally have become convicted of the homeless or people who ask me for money. I have made it a point in my life over the past few months - If someone asks something of me, even if I can't pay my bills because of it, I give it to them. In return I have began to ask their name and say I will give you all that I have if you will let me pray over you and tell you why I am giving you this money. What an opportunity for the gospel to preach itself; even if at the point we are not able to share the gospel in fullness - we are slowing letting people know one by one - that following Christ is not about making people feel worse but it is about loving people more then we love ourselves.

Does What You Believe Reflect How You Live? The answer is most likely no - but that should be our daily goal. When the gospel comes to life in our actions and not just words on a page that we recite - this is when I believe God is glorified.