Words
The changes that social media have brought about are difficult to quantify. Snippets from platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook seemingly have profound and instantaneous impact. Those of us from older generations, who knew life free of the challenges of growing up with social media, wonder about the current state of things and may even wistfully desire a return to those days.
How quickly we forget that sensationalism has always been part of the media landscape. It has fueled trends, shaped opinions, exacerbated tensions, and at times even generated panic. Consider the famous radio broadcast in 1938 by Orson Welles, “The War of the Worlds”. Talk about ‘Fake News’!
Words are certainly powerful, but it is our actions that communicate our true beliefs. This is why the message of the Gospels is so transformative as they demonstrate that action is always superior to speech. The Word became flesh, not a soundbite.
Although our words are certainly important, we must continue to live out our faith as demonstrated by Jesus. It is only in putting our faith into action that we are shaped into the disciples we are called to be. In the early church, James was also concerned about the need to put faith/words into action.
You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.
James 2:18 ~The Message
Our plates are already full, and it can be challenging to find time to do another thing. It can be easy to assume we will have more time for such things in the future, maybe when we are retired. Christian service needs to be a priority through all stages of our lives as it softens our hearts to the things of God. It is also important to practice service in front of and with our young people, so that it is ingrained into them that Christian faith is not simply words and a commitment to attend weekly worship but a living testimony of the love of God.
Certainly, we are not to act on our faith out of guilt or obligation as this will only lead to frustration. At the same time, we must recognize that serving God through meeting the needs of others is how we are formed into the people God created us to be.
Start small if you must, but, if you have not already established service as part of your regular spiritual practices, start. And if you have already incorporated service into your spiritual disciplines, consider inviting others to join you as you serve. A simple invitation may be all that is necessary to encourage another to grow in their faith in this way.
If you need ideas about how and where to serve there are multiple agencies on our Serve page that would love to hear from you.
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As RPC’s Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss, has a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.