Faith in Action

Backstory:
The writer of this letter was probably James who was the half-brother of Jesus. This James became a prominent leader of the church in Jerusalem. His letter is addressed to “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (James 1:1), which likely refers to Jewish Christians. Perhaps they were believers from the Jerusalem church who were scattered after the martyrdom of Stephen, and James wrote to them as a pastor to instruct and encourage this dispersed people in the face of their difficulties.

God’s Story:
My words are not meant to simply sit on a printed page; they are meant to be lived out. I did not preach about my love from the realms of heaven; I sent my Son to earth to actually show people my love. Jesus demonstrated my love through his actions: healing the sick, feeding the hungry, blessing the little children, forgiving sins, suffering and dying for all who would follow him.

Read James 1:1 – 2:26

Your Story:
The instructions in James’s letter are simple: You have to do more than declare your faith; you have to put that faith into action. That doesn’t mean everyone has to do it the same way. You can do what you do best. How you speak, how you act and how you treat others testifies to the sincerity of your faith. You may not always notice, but others are watching you. What you do matters.