“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” James 2:15-18
During the pandemic I began saying to almost everyone I parted from “stay safe”. Most of these interactions were during an infrequent social time, or after doing something for someone that required a physical presence. It came from a genuine desire for their health and safety. I might as well have been saying “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed.”
As time has passed I’ve noticed that I have held onto saying “stay safe” to people, which of course is not bad in and of itself, but it has become sort of a throw away… like “see you later”. Of course I truly desire the people I encounter to stay safe, however, it is less often that these interactions are in the context of helping them. It is somehow now less pressing than it was during the time of crisis.
Pray
“God, thank You for Your provision. Please teach me to be sensitive to the needs of those around me in every interaction, even in the most mundane situations. Give me wisdom to know when to act, and even to ask, if I can help. Remind me that I may have no idea what the person in front of me is going through and help me to see them through Your eyes. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
