05/16/10 “Acts of Compassion and Church Growth."

The Epistle of James provides a useful hint on how churches (even our church) can grow. There are two scriptures in James that go to the heart of the matter. First, there is his definition of pure religion or spirituality that is so simple but goes to the heart of the matter: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (1:27) Notice that this is not about pleasing ourselves or showing compassion because it feels good; it is about seeking God’s approval because He is our Lord and master and ruler of heaven and earth. So, underlying our acts of compassion is a sound theology that is rooted and grounded in the goodness and grace of God especially as revealed in Jesus Christ, and in our own gratitude for his mercy as shown in our own heart felt desire to be merciful to the needy and distressed. The second part of that scripture (1:27b) reminds us that we are not “excused” from responsible behavior and pure motives just because we “throw our needy neighbor a bone.” There are many pretenders both within and without the church who seek to “make points” with God and the public but have shameful private lives; from time to time we read about clergymen and public servants as well as celebrities from the business world, sports and the arts who have betrayed the public trust.

Second, in James 2:13, we read that “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. (And) mercy triumphs over judgment (or a self serving contempt for our neighbor especially the one in need or in distress, parenthesis my own). “Here, James exposes those who seek to build empires and so choose to associate with and cater to those who can potentially serve the latter’s own selfish agenda (see the opening verses of chapter two) This, of course, means that the poor and needy need not apply unless they can be the “poster child” of a “public relations campaign” on behalf of their benefactor. Among other things this cautions churches/pastors obsessed with “counting beans” not to add insult to injury by exploiting those they help by using them as a callous means to an end but to reach out to the bruised and hurting without strings attached.

James then goes on to say that sympathy without substance is useless to say the least (verses 15 and 16) But what really caught my attention was his summary statement about the life of neighborliness mixed with purity and integrity. He says: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers, who sow in peace raise a HARVEST of righteousness 3:17-18). “This is what pleases God. And the God of peace, mercy and compassion will bless churches including our own and trust them with new people who need His compassion as manifested through His church. Our church, therefore, must not expend almost all its energy on doing programs to the point of not having anything left for those individuals and families who are in crises. Programs matter but crises intervention is needed even more. We have made a good beginning here; let us pick up the pace. We will always need to do programs but acts of compassion are God’s pearls of great price.