Faith Thrives Through Good Works

Today’s reading: James 2: 14-26

Today’s reading reminds me to be careful of something I often say (and hear from other Christians): “All I can do is pray.”

It’s disturbing to think of all the times that has not been entirely true.

One relatively recent weekday afternoon at my church, for example, a woman rang the doorbell and I overheard the intercom conversation she had with a volunteer inside the building.

“I need help. I’m not going to be able to pay my rent next month,” she said.

“Well, ma’am, we give assistance on things like that on the 5th of the month. You’ll have to come back then,” came the reply.

“But I go to this church!” the woman said.

The volunteer saw that I was listening and looked to me for help.

I had stopped  by the church for just a quick bit of business and was overdue for another appointment, so I was hesitant to get involved.  But I went down the hall to the front door to see who this woman was.

I immediately recognized her as a long-time, but very quiet, attendee of the church. I remembered that, during worship just that week,  someone had noted her recent string of absences on Sunday and asked the congregation to pray for her.

She seemed very relieved when I opened the door and welcomed her inside. She repeated her request for help paying her rent, but I found myself feeling nervous. I certainly didn’t have any extra money to give her, and I was sure that the volunteer had been correct: to get such help from the church’s funds, she would have to return in a couple of weeks.

So I just blew it.

I gave the woman a hug, pointed her to the church secretary’s office and brushed past her through the doorway. “I’m very late for a meeting,” I said. “I just came by for  a second and was on my way out. But it’s very good to see you again. We’ve been missing you on Sundays. You will be in my prayers!”

I felt guilty about leaving the woman and her troubles to our very harried secretary. But, “all I can do is pray,” I told myself as I drove to my meeting and mostly forgot about the woman. (It’s very interesting that I cannot now recall anything about that meeting. I’m not even sure whether it happened afterall).

Later that evening, as I was following through on my promise to pray for the woman, I finally remembered something important:  a wealthy member of our church had recently mentioned to me and the pastor that she wanted to be informed every time someone came to the church looking for help that the church’s coffers could not provide.  “My husband and I want to be sure that no one is ever turned away at this church. So, please spread the word. We want to get a call whenever someone needs help!”

Out of respect for my fellow parishioner’s dignity, I never asked the secretary if the church had been able to help the woman pay her rent. But a couple of days later, I did ask her if she knew about the other couple’s offer.

“No, I didn’t!” she exclaimed. “That’s great to know! I will definitely remember that from now on.”

Clearly, this was a case in which my prayers for this woman did little good (despite my repeating them for several days). I’ve not seen her since, and I don’t know anyone in our church who has. I have no idea whether she managed to stay in her apartment.

It’s troubling to think that I could have helped her immediately by simply not being in such a rush. If I had taken 5 minutes to be her friend and simply listen, I am certain that I would have remembered the other couple’s offer and been able to relay the information to the secretary before I left.

But no. I was in too much of a hurry. So even that simple gesture was illusive.

Because I trust God entirely, I am confident that the woman is safe and healthy this morning, wherever she may be. But it’s troubling to know that God had to go the extra mile for her — as he always does, of course — because I was too busy “just praying.”

Thanks be to God for today’s reminder that faith, without good works, is as good as death. May I always remember that glorious lesson.