POST 46: Putting Faith into Action
POST 46
Putting Faith into Action
Anjezë (Agnes) Gonxhe was twelve years old when she made the decision to dedicate her life to serving God and people. Agnes grew up in the Catholic faith and had always been fascinated by the lives of missionaries. She knew she wanted to follow in their path.
At eighteen years old, she left home in Macedonia to study English with the goal of serving in India. Once she arrived in India, she began teaching at a school and took her vows as a nun. She chose to be named after Thérèse de Lisieux, the Catholic patron saint of missionaries. Eventually, she would be known as Mother Teresa.
You’ve probably heard of Mother Teresa—even jokingly (as in, “I’m no Mother Teresa!”). She gained notoriety for her selfless work serving among the poor and destitute of Calcutta, India. She refused to remain behind the walls of the convent teaching in the school; she wanted to be with the people beyond the walls who were suffering.
Love Is an Action
Mother Teresa once said, “Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.” Mother Teresa understood that her faith revolved around love, because love is an action. She didn’t want to tell people she loved them or that God loved them—she wanted to show them.
She started an open-air school for children who lived in slums and had no access to education. She provided food and health care to those who had none. She opened orphanages and hospices for those with leprosy and AIDS.
Was Mother Teresa perfect? Of course not! She struggled and had missteps throughout her life as we all do. No one, however, could question her dedication to her work among those in need in India. She knew her purpose and worked hard at it.
Mother Teresa once said we should not worry about doing big, impressive things but rather “do little things with great love” and “help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.” We can heed these words in our own lives.
You don’t have to go to India and start orphanages and health care centers. You can reach out to your elderly neighbor, the kid who sits next to you in math class, or your local homeless shelter—and show them love in a tangible way.
James, one of Jesus’ younger brothers, knew that faith without action to back it up was meaningless. That’s why in his letter to Christ followers, James challenges them to show evidence of their faith and love by meeting the needs of others. It does no good to pray for someone’s needs if you’re not willing to do something about them. That’s how we put our faith into action.
READING GOD’S WORD
You must be doers of the word and not only hearers who mislead themselves. . . . True devotion, the kind that is pure and faultless before God the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their difficulties and to keep the world from contaminating us. (James 1:22, 27)
If I speak in tongues of human beings and of angels but I don’t have love, I’m a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Journaling Questions
What stands out to you about Mother Teresa’s work?
Why is it important to put our faith into action?
How is loving others a demonstration of your faith?
Pray This Prayer
God, you are a God of faith and a God of action. You chose to act first by sending your Son to rescue us from sin. As I learn to live out my faith, present me with opportunities to put my faith into action. Help me not to be overwhelmed by all the possibilities but help me to focus on helping the people around me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
SOMETHING TO TRY
Reflect on the words of Mother Teresa: “Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.”
Usually, the people nearest you live with you. Choose one person in your home and offer to help them in some way today.
THE TAKEAWAY
Authentic faith requires action, because love is a verb.