a hole in our gospel...

James 2:14-17 - What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

I have been struck lately by the absolute need in this world for compassion. As we have been going through a series known as "The Hole in Our Gospel", I am struck by just how good I have it, how terribly others do, and how Jesus had such compassion on the poor, sick and needy. Do I? Why not?

James talks about faith being demonstrated by our actions and the example that he provides is that we should not wish that someone be warm and well fed and do nothing! We are to be men and women whose faith in God is demonstrated by how we love those in this world! Over and over again the Bible is filled with verses about feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. Jesus even said that when we give a cup of water to the least of these, we give it to him. I am greatly convicted by how little I do. Even to do three challenges that would take no more than fifteen minutes apiece, I didn't do one in the month since they were issued.

I do not wish to quench the conviction that I experience, rather I want to be driven to serve those in need out of love for them and a desire to see God honored. So I started brain storming tonight. How can I love the city and spur those on around me to love and good deeds? Here's some of what I've come up with:

1. Snow removal. After the first heavy snowfall, walk the neighborhoods in pairs, snowshovels in hand asking if we can shovel the driveways and sidewalks of those houses.

2. Blanket/coat drive. We could do this so many ways! I like the idea of going door to door, but what if we had a charity poker tourney where the buy in was a new or used blanket? Rebuys would be cash and so all blankets and cash would be donated to Catholic Charities Northern or something.

3. We have connections at nursing homes, what if we went to visit? Or simply volunteer time at the senior center?

4. How about one sunday morning we get up really early and cleaned up all the trash on the streets in Old Town after all the drunk college students partied all night?

5. More for the summer, but we do a fund raising water bucket walk. People donate $10 a piece and bring a bucket. We meet in old town square, walk to city park lake, fill a bucket and then walk back. All proceeds are donated to World Vision's clean water fund. Make this a community event.

6. Free Spanish classes? It would be a great way to meet people!

7. We all know single moms. What if we pooled our resources and got them a gift card to a spa and offered to watch the kids?

8. Adopt an exchange student program. I can't remember what it's really called, but I've been thinking about this so much lately! I saw such a great relationship formed between my friends and their students, and I long to make people feel welcome and loved!

9. What if we went down to old town with a bunch of hot sandwiches one night and handed them out with blankets to homeless people? What if we did this weekly?

10. What can you come up with?