Saturday, January 07, 2006

A Call to Pure Religion

by Anita S. Lane

James 1:27 says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” The scripture continues in verse one of chapter two by saying, “have not respect of persons…” Or in today’s language, “Don’t even say you have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ—the Lord of glory—and then go and show respect of persons. In no way is that God."

How can this be the most fundamental element of religion? Wouldn’t the purest form of religion consist of introducing lost souls to Christ?

I think what James understood and wanted to communicate—which is also what Jesus understood and communicated—is that in order to reach people, you must first meet them; meet them right where they are. Don’t expect or ask them to come to you, but you go to them. You, the big, bad religious giant that you are—humble yourself, strip yourself of all piety as Jesus did, and meet them, so that you can reach them.

Why is it pure and undefiled to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction? Because they don’t have a platform upon which to proclaim to the world what you have done for them. What you have done will be done in anonymity and it won’t make the society pages—unless you take your personal film crew with you. Giving to the fatherless and widowed is pure because they don’t have anything to offer you in return. You are not giving in expectation of political favors or kickbacks. You’re giving because the need is there and the compassion of your savior on the inside of you is compelling you to give.

The scripture says that when Jesus looked upon the people, He was moved with compassion, for they were as sheep having no Shepard. What do we see when we look upon the people of our world today? Are we moved with compassion or are we moved to change the channel, or put down the newspaper and think on something more pleasant?

To have compassion is more than to have pity on someone. Compassion means a “Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.” (American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition ©2000). Perhaps we are just too desensitized because of all the media images of suffering that are displayed across the airways. Perhaps we feel that there are too many social ills and we just throw up our hands in despair. However, that is not what Jesus did.

In Matthew 25 Jesus is telling a parable and concludes with the statement, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” In essence, He’s saying, “When you help those who are downtrodden, disenfranchised, marginalized and institutionalized, you’re doing something for me. That’s when you start speaking my language and pulling my heart strings. That’s why I came. Everyone was at one time broken, blind and in despair, separated from an intimate love relationship with our heavenly father, and that’s why I came. You see, I see you no differently than I see the orphan child or the widow. I have no respect of persons.”

Pure religion is about identifying a need and meeting it. Using your God-given mind, will, emotions, time, and resources to helping to others—and helping without expecting anything in return. I know many people who have traveled to Africa on medical and Christian missions. In spite of the health risks, and without Oprah’s cameras rolling, they go into towns and villages to help save lives—both physically and spiritually. That is pure religion.

All of the individuals who gave their hard earned money and utilized their resources to go down to the gulf coast after Hurricane Katrina to help—that’s pure religion.

To every volunteer and staff person at non-profit, youth and family-serving organizations who sacrifice larger pay checks and social status to commit to the cause of enhancing the lives of children and families, and building stronger communities—that’s pure religion.

To every layperson and minister who pays that weekly visit to the elderly in the nursing home or the woman or man in the prison—just to show that someone still cares—that’s pure religion.

…And to keep himself unspotted from the world. That’s the second aspect of “pure religion.” And just what does that mean? Well, it doesn’t mean don’t allow people in the world to touch you and spot up your crisp, clean clothes. No. In I John 2:15-17, the scripture says, 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

That’s the “world” that John is admonishing us to not become spotted by. It’s the world that is in us. The world that operates in our mindset—our worldly way of thinking. And unfortunately, too many of us have succumb to the world’s way of thinking. We have yielded to the world’s fleshly lusts, the world’s lusts of the eyes and the pride of life. We want what the world wants and often (although unwilling to admit it) we’re willing to operate as the world does to get what we want. We live for ourselves and we only give if it’s in some way going to benefit us. That’s being spotted. That’s what God doesn’t want us to do.

This is a call to pure religion. A religion where in the 21st century speed-of-light society, we must slow down, pay attention and take time for those who are suffering around us. Only if we slow down and pay attention can we be moved with compassion, which leads to action. And effective action leads to change. And change is something we all want. We want our families to change, our schools to change, our communities to change, our younger generation to change, our elected leadership to change, our media to change… The only way we will get change is if we make the change to get involved in the lives of others and in causes greater than ourselves. Your one act of kindness can inspire another, who in turn makes a change—which inspires another, who in turn makes a change—which inspires another. And then we’ll see change manifest in America.

This is pure religion. Live it. Reproduce it.



Copyright ©2006 by Anita S. Lane
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