I remember being brought up with the phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do.” In one way it’s hypocritical, but by and large it’s a good way to raise a child.
Take, for instance, chopping wood.
“But Mark, who chops wood these days?” I know a lot of people who still use wood furnaces to heat their homes. We can add in people who have fireplaces and backyard fire pits, too. As a percentage that number dwindles, but there are a lot who chop wood.
A fully grown man with an ax doesn’t want a six-year-old handling that ax. There’s also driving, shaving with a blade, and running all sorts of power tools. “But Dad, YOU get to drive that tractor!”
There are other times when actions speak louder than words. For instance, feeding the poor. Preach all you want to someone who is hungry, and you won’t get anywhere. “Yeah, yeah, Jesus-blah-blah-blah. I can’t feed my baby.”
Teaching people about Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross does little good if folks aren’t listening. Physical needs are the most important thing for people who are currently without food and shelter.
The Bible also speaks to that. The Law by which ancient Israel lived included taking care of the destitute. For a description of what that meant to the people of the time, there’s more here. The entire purpose of that part of the Law was to take care of those who didn’t have enough to live on. There was plenty left over after the harvest to feed the hungry - if the landowners did as God commanded.
God wanted Israel to be the light to which other nations were drawn. In essence, “Do what I say, and everyone else will want to be like you.” Jesus, in the New Testement, was described as a light which the world couldn’t recognize. Now, with Jesus living within believers, WE are supposed to be the light of the world.
In order to be that light we need to have people looking to us - rather, Jesus within us. The best way to accomplish that is to take care of the physical needs of those who need it. The Bible speaks to that, too.
God repeatedly tells us to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves. In 1 John it indicates that Christians are liars if they don’t do as He says.
People of faith are to draw others to the light. If a Christian simply prays and does nothing else, what good are they? Prayer has power, yes, but prayer - when coupled with action - has even more power to change a person’s heart.
I heard a story once about someone who was set on proving Christians were generous to simply make themselves feel good about themselves. He watched as a group of them brought hot chocolate and sandwiches to the homeless. One of the homeless, after getting his beverage, threw it in the face of the worker who had handed it to him. The worker said, “Oh, you spilled your hot chocolate. Let me get you another.”
That attitude changed a heart - maybe more than one. God’s goal is to change people to love Him. The best way we can do that is prayer and help.
Good works cannot save anyone’s soul from destruction. However, saved people do good works. If you claim to be one of the saved, you’ll take care of others.
In that case, you’ll do as He says - and as He does.
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