Hopping Into Streams

SURPRISE! I like to photograph mountain streams!

Okay, maybe it's not such a surprise. Considering my past experiences in and around mountain streams you can rest assured that I take the utmost caution when rock hopping nowadays. However, to me the reward outweighs the risk.

In what areas of your life do you find yourself going beyond your comfort zone for a greater purpose? Jesus gave us a command to love our neighbor as our ourselves. In a story He defines a neighbor as someone in need. Perhaps God is nudging you to reach out to that friend, coworker, family member or stranger who needs a helping hand, friendly smile or word of encouragement.

James, the brother of Jesus, was very pragmatic about a visible faith when he wrote:

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” (James 2:14-18)

In Galatians 5:6 we read, "What is important is faith expressing itself in love."

So, hop on out there and don't be afraid to get your feet wet if necessary. There are opportunities to express your faith and make a difference all around you with sincere love. Yes, there is a chance that you may get hurt in the process but the rewards can certainly outweigh the risk.