Saved to Serve

In the same way, faith by itself — that does nothing — is dead.

– James 2:26

Rejecting half-heartedness and non-committal, Jesus calls for total devotion from his disciples and would-be followers. That’s why as believers, our lives must show tangible actions that reflect our faith in him. 

That doesn’t mean we must work to earn our way into God’s favor by living a so-called “good life,” doing good deeds, going to church … and then contributing a few dollars each Sunday. That wouldn’t be nearly enough. After all, God demands perfection. And not one of us comes even close to meeting that high standard. That’s why Jesus — who did indeed live a perfect life — was the only acceptable sacrifice to pay the penalty we all deserve for our sinfulness.

The price to redeem us was exorbitant, but he willingly saved his followers so they could serve. To illustrate this expectation, Jesus told a story about a rich man who gave each of his three servants a considerable amount of money to invest while he was away on an extended trip. After a while, he returned to claim what was his. The man was very pleased with the first two servants, who had invested what he had given them and doubled his money. But it wasn’t so with the third, who was afraid of his master’s stern reputation and feared risking a loss. He instead played it safe by burying the money in a hole in the ground. Rather than commending the servant’s regard for safeguarding his funds, the rich man was furious because of the wasted opportunity to invest and multiply the treasure. 

We read this account in Matthew’s gospel:

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.”

For Christ-followers, the lesson is that faith is a rule of life rather than an intellectual pursuit. So if we’re to translate our faith into action, let’s ask ourselves if we’re really directing our time, talents and resources toward the benefit of others … or if we’re simply playing it safe. Unlike the stock market or the commodities exchange, this is one investment that’s guaranteed to pay big dividends in the long run.