Profitability born from humility leads to Christian charity.
When believers are in tune with the Holy Spirit, they place the needs of others ahead of their own. The Book of James preaches “faith displayed in actions” throughout its pages. One story goes like this:
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
James 2:14-17 (ESV)
Here are a couple definitions from Webster’s Dictionary for the word CHARITY:
- generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering
- benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity
- lenient judgment of others
Fending off arrogance and selfishness, the believer in humility becomes willing to share himself with others, granting them access to the recesses of his heart and the storehouses of his livelihood. Followers of Christ seek to reflect Him as ambassadors of goodwill toward all mankind, seeking the good for all and supplying goods where they are lacking.
Believers are an altruistic class of people, showing an unselfish concern for the welfare of others. If we hear of a need and can meet that need, then it is our responsibility to care for that need. God will providentially place individuals in our lives to give us the opportunity to express agape love, calling us to empathize with them (and not judge them) and to serve them (and not avoid them). When Christians behave like this, they make a pretty strong case for the intrinsic value of Christianity.
Glorify. Train. Engage. 