Good Intentions

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.


James chapter 2
  What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?(vs. 14) ...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (vs. 17)  You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. (vs. 22)  

James 4:17 
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Faith is something that has basically always come easy for me.  For me, it's easy to look at a beautiful sunset, or the smiles of my family  or basically anything around me and have no doubt that there is a loving God who created it all.  I try to "walk the walk"  and not just "talk the talk,"  but it is very easy for me to make excuses of things that I should be doing but don't.  I always had a really good example of doing things for others.  My dad was always helping old ladies at church who needed help fixing things, or taking a couple of brothers whose dad wasn't in the picture flying or to go play Putt Putt, etc.  My dad has always been good at that stuff.  I try, but like I said, too often make excuses of why I don't.  There is an older man a couple houses down from us whose wife passed away at the beginning of summer.  I met the man once or twice, but really didn't know either of them.  I meant to go down when I heard and take a meal or do something for him.  I really intended to.  But with the craziness of the summer, sick kids, and the rest of the excuses I could easily come up with, I didn't.  Then a few weeks ago I was talking to the neighbors across the street and they said that this man had been having a really rough time since his wife passed.  I commented about how I had been meaning to take a meal to him, and how I tend to have good intentions but bad follow-thru.  As the words came out of my mouth, I thought how pathetic that was, and how I don't want to be that way.  The good intentions part is fine, but I just don't want to have good thoughts.  I want to do good works.  I want to help others, reach out to them, show them love and kindness.  That night Alia and I took a meal down to him.  His daughter was there, and thanked us for bringing it for him.  When I asked how he was doing, he immediatedly teared up.  His daughter commented how it had been really hard on him.  We talked a little, then this past week, we decided to make some cookies to take down to him.  Again, when I asked how he was doing, he immediately teared up, and said "We were together all the time.  We were married 53 years."  We talked for a while, and he told us about how he fought in Korea, and how most of his family was gone.  I really believe the time was as much a blessing to me (if not more) as it was to him. I would hate to know how many times I have sinned simply because I neglected to do something good for someone else...not that I ever meant them harm, but simply because I didn't do good.  I hope I can set as good as an example for our kids as my dad did for me.  I don't want my faith to be dead.  I want my faith and actions to work together.