Money

There's a verse in James that I never quite understood - "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?" (James 3:15-16).

James is using the text to illustrate the futility of saying you have faith while producing no works, because while works to not produce faith, true faith works. I've always wondered, who would actually do this? Who would say to someone's face "have what you need." and then do nothing about it. And yet this is [in effect] exactly what we do every time we go to a prayer meeting, acknowledge and pray for someone's physical needs, and then do nothing.

I notice this most when we pray at our church for those out of work. While we can't fix health problems, broken relationships that don't involve us, and other such things, the need for money is surely within our reach. We pray for God to supply their needs, all well and good, but forget that God uses means. Sure we probably can't give them a job, but have you ever met someone who'd reply to a gift with "well, I don't need that; I'm waiting on God for a job"? You don't have to read far into Acts to find people who thought exactly this way. One of the primary marks of grace is selflessness. Do we even consider delaying our next impulse purchase, that upgraded electronic gadget, or building bigger barns for our piles of stuff, to meet the needs of brethren we're going to spend eternity with?

I think this is exactly what Jesus had in mind when he said "Make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that they may receive you into eternal dwellings". Ties forged by serving the brethren _now_ will have eternal benefits. A simple cup of cold water to a brother in need won't lose it's reward in that day; how much more then a few hundred dollars when it's needed?