The Joy of Serving Others
James 4:13-17
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this
or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.
17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
The Joy of Serving Others
Most us have seen or read Charles Dickens wonderful story of the Christmas Carol where a miserly business man is transformed by seeing his life through what was and what could be. He wrote this story as a response to weigh in on the specific issues of his day so people might be accountable to how they lived their life. He originally wanted to call it, “An Appeal to the People of England on behalf of the Poor Man’s Child.” But realizing that many would discount it, he found another way to get a person’s attention. In doing so, he has had the attention of many for the past 177 years since it was published.
In our series on Trials that Change Us we discover that James is also responding to the issues of the human condition. In chapter 4 verses 13-17 he writes:
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
We are challenged to live out this life-changing relationship we have with Jesus in tangible ways. This coming Sunday and the next few weeks we will be working towards helping the homeless right here in our city and beyond. Keep reading this email and note the opportunities listed below to help out.
I am so grateful to be on this journey together with you,
John
P.S. The quote I started with is from a little known, very short novella from Charles Dickens called, “Dr. Marigold”. A wonderful little story of compassion. Here is the link if you would like to read it!
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1415/1415-h/1415-h.htm