True Religion
What do you think about when you hear the word religion?
Maybe you picture a church building. Maybe you envision a cross. Maybe you imagine statues or cathedrals or altars or pews. Maybe the thought of religion brings you comfort, or it makes you want to run in the opposite direction.
Here's what the Bible says religion truly is:
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
James 1:27 NIV
True religion in God’s eyes is looking after the hurting and most vulnerable, as well as honoring Him with your life.
You can do this in countless ways. Here are just a few:
Physically: You could deliver groceries to a neighbor, teach a kid to read or play catch, invite a new friend over for dinner, or even foster or adopt a child (or support those who foster or adopt children).
Financially: You can give generously to ease the financial burden to those who don’t have much support. You could find a local church or charity to donate to, or offer to help with utility bills, kids’ extracurricular activities, or even pay off debt.
Emotionally: You can be the hands and feet of God—by showing up, listening, encouraging, and simply being present.
Spiritually: You can offer spiritual support or prayer to those who could use guidance, direction, or even reminders of what they already know to be true.
James writes that true religion in God’s eyes also involves keeping yourself “from being polluted by the world.” How can you do that? You can trust God’s heart. You can surrender to His ways. You can keep your eyes on Him.
Being “religious” isn’t about a showy facade or a spiritual checklist, but loving God and serving others—which, ultimately, makes us more like Him.
“Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was: of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king. Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD. Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth: all these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these were under the hands of their...