Show Me Your Faith

There are just some things in life you have to experience to understand. You won’t understand the thrill you get from a zip line, unless you take the plunge. You can’t fully appreciate the excitement of white water rafting, until you surf the rapids. You can’t grasp the bond of a team if you never join one.

There is something about the faith you will not understand unless you share it with others. To serve others in the name of Christ brings a whole new appreciation to the faith.

Paul writes to Philemon, the head of a house church, that he is praying for the sharing of his faith to be effective in order that Philemon would have a full knowledge of the good things we have in Christ.

I received Jesus Christ at a very young age. I grew up in church, 5 Day Club, Good News Club, AWANA, and so many other opportunities. However, it was in sharing my faith that I began to see the richness of our faith. As I began to serve others, it was as if life was blown into the knowledge I had.

There was plenty to be excited about in the knowledge and growing in my understanding. But it was as if I began seeing new colors or hearing new sounds. Living out the faith by helping others see Jesus made life more fulfilling. I can honestly say that I am a youth pastor today because of the opportunity I had to share my faith with someone as a 19 year old. It had such a dramatic impact on my life that I changed directions.

To serve others is to allow our love for Jesus to be expressed for the benefit of others. It is to see the value in others, that they are made in the Image of God and are loved by God. It is humbling yourself and getting out of the way in order to lift someone up.

Often our soul gets cluttered with our preoccupation with our self. We are so worried about taking care of “me” that we forget about others. It is for this reason that God wants us to forget about self and serve others. One person said it best this way, “JOY is Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last.”

Sharing your faith by serving others can be a thankless job. It may not make headlines, but it will mean a lot to the individual. It may not bring the praise of man, but it will please God. The joy of Christ that you experience makes it worth it every time.

One last story, our youth group has participated in serving the homeless on several occasions. Last winter it was cold and sometimes it was really hard to get people to go downtown and serve a hot meal. I admit, it was difficult to get motivated. Thoughts like, “am I really making a difference?” “these guys don’t care” “it’s somebody else’s turn,” etc, came to mind.

But one Sunday afternoon we went. We had the opportunity to talk to a man who confessed how hard his week was. “I was done,” he said. By done, he meant he was going to kill himself. He continued, “I had too much, I didn’t have the strength to face one more cold night. But then I remembered you were coming. The thought of seeing you all gave me hope to get through. You saved my life.”

Wow! Who would have thought that just providing one meal with a smile and maybe a hug would mean so much. Serving him saved his life. You just can’t imagine how rewarding it is to hear someone say that. God allowed us to participate in saving a life.

When you serve someone for the cause of Christ, it benefits your soul.

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:17-18 ESV)