Faith without Love
Faith without Love
Several years back, I had the opportunity to work at a Christian event that took place out in the middle of nowhere — at least an hour’s drive from the nearest grocery store.
Some of the other workers were friends of mine, but most of them had been strangers to me before that week. Among them was a deeply zealous woman who had a health condition making it difficult for her to hold things securely with her hands. For the sake of this story, we’ll say her name was Faith.
One evening, several of us headed up to the dining hall early to help with setting the tables for our guests. Professional chefs had toiled all afternoon, artfully preparing that evening’s meal. We were to be handed the ceramic plates and bowls filled with their labor of love, and to carry them— with great care — to the long rows of tables.
I emphasize that great care was required, because there was no food to be spared. If 200 servings were needed, 200 servings had been prepared — no more, no less. Nevertheless, among the workers who offered their help carrying food from the kitchen to the tables was Faith.
As Faith reached out her hands to take the first bowl full of soup, she informed Carlos, the worker handing it off to her, about her health condition. “It’s hard for me to carry things,” she said, “because my hands just don’t work like they’re supposed to, so I drop things all the time.”
Carlos (who was heading up that assignment) responded nervously, “Maybe you should sit this one out, then,” and he reached his hands forward to reclaim the dish he’d just given her. “We have plenty of other people who can help tonight, and—”
“Oh no!” Faith replied, jerking her hands away from his, nearly spilling the soup. “We’re just going to trust Jesus! He’ll give me the strength I need to carry out His ministry. Praise Him!”
With an air of confidence, Faith headed off with the bowl full of soup in hand, praying aloud the entire time: “Help me, Jesus. Lord, give me strength! Don’t let the devil have this moment. Lord, use my weakness for Your glory! I trust You! Jesus, help me. Oh, Lord…”
Carlos continued passing out plates and bowls, but the expression on his face had shifted from dutiful to concerned. I can’t help but imagine he was also praying, though if he was, his prayers were silent. It wasn’t lost on him that one misstep would mean someone going hungry that night.
When Faith reached the first table, she set the bowl down in a loud fashion — the kind of loud that begs the attention of anyone in the surrounding area. Then she began praising God, “Yes, Lord! We give You the glory! Thank you for using my weakness! Now we ask you to do it again!”
Then, Faith headed back to the kitchen, repeating this dramatic scene, over and over again.
Once all the plates and bowls had been distributed, Faith looked around at the other volunteers and said, “What a miracle! Praise Jesus!” The expression on her face was one of elation.
I glanced over at Carlos. He was positively spent.
Was God more glorified that evening because of the “miracle” and Faith’s grand display of faith? I suppose I can’t say for sure, but from what I’ve read in the Bible, I don’t honestly think He was...
Because loving others well — seeing other people and considering their needs — brings glory to God. And I’m not sure that a show of faith at the expense of consideration for others is really faith at all.
The possibility of someone missing out on a meal that night, needlessly, so that someone else could prove how much faith they had seemed contrary to the way Jesus taught us to live. And the “miracle” (if it really was a miracle at all) seemed more to have been an instance of God being faithful in spite of our faithlessness (2 Timothy 2:13).
There was a group of Christians a long time ago who was known for all sorts of displays of great faith — prophesying and miracle-working. But they were also known for their lack of love and consideration toward one another. This is what the Apostle Paul had to say to them:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)
Had Jesus been in the room with us that evening, I wonder if He would’ve said, “Well done! Your faith has made this possible!” or if His words actually would’ve been, “Oh, you of little faith. How long must I put up with you?”
Our faith pleases God, and “without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). But the kind of faith God wants us to have is always going to lead us to love others more, not less.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Want to read more articles like this one? Subscribe today, and you’ll get blog posts and updates sent straight to your inbox, so you’ll never miss a thing!
