Sewing Lesson

"As the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead"- James 2:26 (NIV).

I don't use my sewing machine. I do hem garments, replace buttons, and such by hand, but, my sewing machine, designed to create garments, sits in the floor of our guest room...lifeless; except for the fact that it is gathering dust and taking up space. My lifeless sewing machine could be an analogy of a Christian who has faith, but there are no works coming from that faith; it's nice to know it's there, in case I ever need it, but that sewing machine should be cranking out new shirts, pants, dresses, etc; just as my faith should be producing works. James says, "But someone will say, "Show me your faith [sewing machine] without deeds [garments], and I will show you my faith [sewing machine] by my deeds [garments]" (2:18b). When my life is over, will people remember me for having a sewing machine or by wearing the garments created by my sewing machine? Unused faith, like an unused sewing machine, is dead without the deeds that should spring forth. We don't want our faith to be gathering dust and taking up space.