“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress…” James 1:27 “If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless…” James 1:26 “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves…” James 1:22 Especially as the urging in his letter so perfectly brings home what seems to be the intent of the episode and teaching shared in Mark’s Gospel now… Perhaps too much so, it seems to me know. Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.As a pastor raised in the Lutheran tradition, I long ago learned to be cautious of the letter of James. A rock thrown into the water and causing our love to spread by helping orphans and widows when we are able. I think that is what we all should be like. The ripples continued to spread wider across the lake until the ripple faded. Sometimes it would land in the water and make a ripple effect. When I was young I used to skip rocks across the lake waters. But if we all just did what we are able the world would be a better place for many more children and widows. Some of us are able to help more than others. So it doesn’t matter how good we live of ourselves the apostle James is saying unless we look after the orphans and widows we practice an impure and defiled religion. Are our thoughts and intentions mixed with excuses and meaningless intentions? There came a cross road in my life when I asked myself this question. Pure means not to be mixed with anything. But the words in this one verse have great impact if we think about it. How many churches teach this in there sermons often? Is it really at the heart of our Christian life? I have to admit that there was a time it was not for me. James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. There is not much any one person can do for the whole world. But one thing I believe is that when a door opens up to help someone that if we can do it we should not draw back. So much money is spent on pleasure while children starve. So much food goes to waste in a lot of countries. Really there is enough food in this world to go around if mankind wasn’t so greedy. But I just don’t understand why there has to be children going to bed hungry at night. I know there will always be poverty in the world. Really it is hard to understand how there is so much wealth in the world and a child has to suffer hunger and poverty to an unbearable point. The world has always been filled with orphans and widows.
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