February 19, 2025 “Facta non Verba”
February 19, 2025
“Facta non Verba”
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” – James 2:14-17
A couple of years ago, I kicked off the new year by joining a program called The Strenuous Life, whose tagline is “Do Hard Things” (a favorite saying in our house, just ask our kids). The program required 60 minutes of daily exercise, a good deed per day, skill development, and a weekly challenge—some bordering on the absurd. Everything had to be documented and publicly shared with fellow members on the program’s online forum. If you stuck with the program for 90 days, you earned a challenge coin—a token of self-discipline and growth.
It was a wild ride, but I made it. I distinctly remember running a barefoot mile and taking cold showers in January—no wonder they threw in a polar bear patch when I finished! I also found myself at lunch often reflecting on whether I’d done a meaningful good deed that morning toward my family or co-workers. It felt a bit contrived, but it kept me mindful of my actions rather than getting swept up in daily distractions.
The challenge coin is engraved with Facta non Verba—“Deeds, Not Words.” I couldn’t help but think of James 2:14-17: the famous “Faith without works is dead,” passage. It’s a challenging piece of scripture, especially when Paul tells us we are “saved by grace through faith.” At first glance, this seems like a contradiction—so which is it?
For me, this is where I love the Wesleyan approach of the United Methodist Church. We are indeed saved by grace, but the journey doesn’t stop there. God calls us to be transformed—to reflect Christ in the world through our actions so others can see His light. True faith is active, not passive. It’s not about earning salvation through our works but responding to grace with lives that shine with compassion.
You may not get a challenge coin or polar bear patch for it, but you might be exactly what someone else needs to see and experience the love of God. And that’s worth far more.
Reflection Questions:
Think about your daily routines, relationships, and interactions. Are there areas where you talk about faith but struggle to live it out?
What is one tangible way you can reflect Christ’s love this week?
Prayer:
Gracious God, thank You for the gift of grace and the call to live out our faith through action. Help me to reflect Your love in the way I serve others, so that my deeds align with my words. Guide me to be a light in the world, showing others who You are through the way I live. Amen.
With faith, hope, and love,
Eric Smith