What Good Is It?

1/25/2023

Written By: Margie Davis

Do you remember Y2K? Many thought that when 1999 rolled over to 2000, all the computers in the world would cease to function and a domino effect of power outages, etc. would occur.

Rick and I decided to take precautions like much of the world did in the event of the worst-case scenario. The thought of our children not having water, food, heat, etc. prompted us to get some supplies laid in. We bought a truck, a generator, had extra gasoline stored, 30-gallon water barrels ready to fill so we could help neighbors, we bought non-perishable food items and while we didn’t really go overboard, we did feel prepared to weather an outage for a short period of time.

Our entire family gathered at our house for the ball drop at midnight, flashlights in hand and held our breath. For the biggest non-event EVER!

What good was it? We had everything we needed, but we didn’t use it.

James 2:14-16 says “What good is it my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them “go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, WHAT GOOD IS IT?”

Many Christians plan for their heavenly home by feeling “prepared”. We read our Bibles, go to church, tithe, and attend small group somewhat regularly. Our faith even seems to be growing! But in James 2:16 Jesus is meeting us face to face and He’s asking us a most convicting question “What good is your faith?”

The Holy Spirit has a job, and He is very good at it! He will convict and compel us to do the “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do!” (Ephesians 2:10)

I imagine you have experienced that conviction and compulsion, and many of you are working hard already! But if you are feeling that conviction even as you read this, you have assurance that the Holy Spirit is VERY alive within you and He’s asking for the whole package. The faith AND the works.

You have life experiences that are unique to you. What good are they? Have you come out on the other side of an addiction, a divorce, an affair, an abortion, depression, anxiety or abuse? Were you a star athlete with many friends or people who looked up to you?

All these experiences have brought you to this exact place. You are YOU because of every success and failure. Every single sin that you have overcome and even those you are currently struggling with have brought you to a place where God is saying “I want to redeem that.” If you don’t let Him, what good is it?

Through the years, my life has intersected with people who have been affected by an abortion in some way. I was compelled for years to help. But my excuses just didn’t leave room for me to do anything.

And then an amazing thing happened eight years ago. My COMPULSION met with my CONVICTION and I stepped way outside my comfort zone and said yes to serving at our local pregnancy center.

And just last week, I sat on the floor at Clarity and chatted with a young mom while the 5 year old child that she nearly aborted played next to us, and I got a tiny glimpse of why God had called me to this ministry!

You have gifts and skills that GOD GAVE YOU. Do you play an instrument? Do you have a real gift for teaching children or teenagers? Does your heart break every time you see the line of cars waiting at the food pantry? Are you curious about foreign missions? Maybe you keep thinking about the moms in crisis because of an unplanned pregnancy. You can see where I’m going with this.

Jesus wants it all for us. In our tiredness, our selfishness and our laziness, still He wants us. When we prioritize our available hours and put Him at the bottom of the list, He will wait there for us while the Holy Spirit moves Him up that list until we are so compelled to do Kingdom work that we will be restless until we do.

We recently watched the Chiefs play the Jaguars on TV. Patrick Mahomes (KC Quarterback) was injured in the first half. He fought hard to stay in the game and was angry when they forced him to go to the locker room for treatment. He went back in the game hobbled, because there was nothing stopping him from doing what he was there to do!

Oh friend, if we had that kind of fierceness about what we are here to do, the Kingdom of God would be unstoppable!

I challenge you to ask yourself every single morning “what good is my faith?” And whether you are 8 or 80 years old, it’s time to get to work!