Do You Have Dead Faith?

"If a brother or sister is poorly clad and lacks food for each day,

And one of you says to him, Good-bye! Keep [yourself] warm and well fed, without giving him the necessities for the body, what good does that do?

So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead).

But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith." James 2:15-18, Amplified Version)

In America, we tend to think of the faithless as the poor person or the one who is suffering--we never see the person who is financially well-off, and prosperous as lacking in faith. In fact, many in our churches equate faith directly with the substance that a person has; so if you are struggling, you can't possibly be trusting God, right??? 

There's only one problem--a big one, with that line of thinking, though; it doesn't line up with God's Word, on so many levels (Matthew 19:21, Luke 12:21, Luke 16:13,  [Luke 10:4 & Luke 22:35], Acts 3:6, etc.). As a matter of fact, James makes no reference to the poor brother or sister's faith--but notes that they are a brother or sister and therefore, within the Body of Christ (and not just a faithless infidel). The question of faith is raised only in reference to the one who is in position to give and assist. James makes no assumption that because he has been blessed with good fortune that he is full of faith--the determining factor of his faith is what he does with the substance that he has been entrusted with. James probably picked up on the message of Jesus from Luke 12, where Jesus tells of the barn-builder who in a quandary over what to do with so much substance decides that the only logical solution is to build bigger barns. Jesus' response: "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

While we blame and point fingers at the constantly struggling saints, perhaps we should be asking ourselves what role we have in the struggle. Are our fingers pointed in the wrong direction? 

I am going to share a very personal testimony--that is difficult, because for one I am pretty private about such things. I don't generally openly tell this portion of my life, partly because I know how judgmental many of us are--and how we value (or devalue) people based on what they have or do not have. While I am open about most things, financially, I am a closed book, so (I think) most people would be amazed to know how difficult my life has been for the last 15 years. Imagine me as the poor person James is speaking of--and poor is quite relative, because as Americans, the "poorest" of us are rich in respect to 2/3 of the world's population; but bear with me. During this period, I experienced homelessness--not quite outside on a park bench, but close; I did move from place to place for a time, not having a choice, or a permanent address. I have gone for days without food, but I prayed and God sent help. I have been sick and in need of medication and unable to address the need--and dental care, desperately. Now, all of this was precipitated by clinical depression--saints don't get depressed, right? Well, I grew up with the illness, and eventually, it became more than I could manage on my own. I couldn't pray it away--and neither could anyone else; it would have been nice, but not every healing is instantaneous, and we have to be careful that we don't destroy people with our preconceived notions about how things have to be. That almost destroyed me; hearing that you have no faith on top of seeing no light, appears to be pretty hopeless. But, God! Eventually, when I stopped "rebuking" and declaring and telling God how it had to be, God began to heal me inwardly (and I am not the same), but outwardly--and financially the prolonged illness left me with a gaping financial wound that was unmanageable. I must admit, I expected that to turn around, too--we have this instant kind of thing going on.... It hasn't quite worked out that way. I believe for two reasons: I had to learn some things; I had to learn not to be so attached to things, and to place the correct value on them--it helps me to give freely. I had some difficult giving tests along the way, but I got it, in time (slow learner--like short bus slow!). Secondly, I came to realize that all of the faith in the world won't turn my situation around if those who are to "bless" me out of the circumstances, choose not to--we all have free will. God could, but He doesn't drop money out of the sky, nor does it grow on trees. Now, I will admit, there have been some desperate moments, when he sent a check here and there just in the nick of time to get me out of an immediate bind--or to lighten the burden, when He saw His daughter becoming overwhelmed. Still, God doesn't change. His plan is for us to bless each other with our substance--that is the example He gave us, and that is the teaching of Jesus Christ. That is how it is supposed to work.

Often, people look at me (and others) and say "You have so many gifts and talents but you are not using them the way that you should." I have been rebuked, harshly for this--and I am not alone; there's a whole church Body filled with God's people sitting (not by choice) on gifts and talents untapped, because the resources needed to make them work--not only for ourselves, but for others, is held up. If I am unable to be productive, I can't help my brother or sister become productive, and so on.... Dead faith has created a clogged up, kinked system that has ceased to function among far too many of us; and if it isn't working for some  of us, the whole of us is affected even if we aren't aware of it. We have no idea the impact we would have on the world if we did things, differently, and in a more Apostolic way--like those first Christians in Acts 2-4. We are so concerned with building our own personal kingdoms, that we have forgotten that the goal is God's Kingdom--and everything we do, has to be about pointing souls to Him. Every gift and talent must be utilized to open doors for greater witness. This is one of those ways that the world doesn't get to see the love that shows them that we are His disciples (John 13:34, 35), because we aren't willing to invest in each other--and support and build up our brothers and sisters. All of these years, I have been not hundreds of thousands or even tens of thousands (of dollars) away from success; but maybe a couple of thousand (at most), or a couple of hundred dollars for a project or simple word of mouth which costs nothing, or sometimes, someone simply honoring their word and paying for services rendered. It's amazing how many times those who have, put greater burdens on those who have so much less.

That is my story--but I see the same story in so many other faces; and I wonder when and even if, there will ever be some recognition that perhaps there is another side to the story. We can't continue to build bigger barns while our brothers and sisters that we "see" don't have the basic necessities. I watch this all of the time, and it doesn't require riches to be a blessing--it simply requires a heart that desires to bless. I have learned that if you desire to be a blessing, God will open a door to provide the means. It won't always be financial, but it will meet the need at that moment, as long as your heart is in it and in tune with God.

As hard as this journey has been, I wouldn't trade it for anything. What I have learned is so great, and I am convinced that I (can't speak for anyone else) never would have learned it any other way. I recognize that financially and career-wise I could be in a really phenomenal place, right now; but I really believe that the sacrifice would be spiritual, and it's just not worth it, now that I know what I know.  I have "put away childish things" and concerns and cares. I didn't even know I was selfish and self-centered, until I went through something that taught me compassion. My hope is that others won't have to suffer as much to learn the same lessons. I certainly hope exposing myself helps someone--and encourages a brother or sister who might be at the lowest point see that no matter what, I still have joy...because I do.