Faith and Deeds

DEVOTION
JAMES
FAITH AND DEEDS
James 2:14-3:1

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 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? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. NIV
How can I break this down into a smaller amount? I cannot, I must not! It is all in all the same idea, and thus must be dealt with as such. Do I have any works which accompany my faith? Even though he speaks of helping the poor by more than prayer, he offers Abraham and Rahab as examples which are act of service to God. Doing something beyond the human realm such as offering a son to God is action for sure. Although I did not offer my son, I was not angry with God when he thought best to have him rather than I have him. Does that count? I expressed my faith to all. But that was then, what about now, is one act all that matters or is it a life full of action? Is serving my brothers and sisters through preaching, teaching and writing acting out my faith? Must I provide for the poor? Maybe it is doing whatever God asks of me. Maybe that is acting out my faith, whatever it is. Surely some are called to feed the poor; others are called to speak the truth to the rich. If God desires me to do something, if he calls me to some form of action, I believe I have always been ready and willing to act. Sometimes following his calling has caused some short term hardship, but in the end I have always been blessed. Sometimes it seems foolish to others, but I do not care. Is my not having any savings an act of faith? I must solely rely on the graces of God for my daily fare. How much action if enough? I think it is a life of faith, a life of believing, a life of trust, a life of obeying, a life filled to the brim with God which fulfills this idea of faith without deeds is dead.