Helping Others Now

I used to be an academic at a large regional university. There was some flexibility in our hours, so I decided to head home early one day. As I was walking to my car, I could see a young woman waving to me in the distance. It turned out that she was a Korean student who had only arrived in town the day before. It was the middle of winter and her orientation was scheduled for the next day.

‘Where can I buy a blanket on campus?’ she asked.

‘There’s nowhere on campus to buy a blanket,’ I replied. ‘You’ll have to catch a bus to the shopping centre.’

Her face fell. I could have said goodbye, safe in the knowledge that someone would help her out at orientation. But it was cold now, and she would need that blanket tonight. I drove her to the shopping centre.

She picked out a blanket and got a few other things she needed. By the time I dropped her back at her accommodation and drove home, I was much later than usual. Leave home early to get home late? The irony wasn’t lost on me.

James doesn’t mince words with his readers. If someone is in need of food or clothing [or blankets], there’s no point telling them to stay warm and be well fed if we don’t do something to help them. Faith without actions is not really faith at all.

I’d like to say that I’m always helpful to others, but there are many times I’ve turned a blind eye or rationalised my lack of help in some way. We can’t meet every need, but we can help where God leads. Let’s aim to be doers of the Word, not just hearers.