True religion that is unblemished before God is this: to look after the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world. James 1:27
Essential Faith... There are some Bible verses that give us ground level guidance on how to live. This verse is one of them.
"True religion that is unblemished before God is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world." James 1:27
For all it's simplicity, this is a verse to live by. Essential faith is compassionate, and essential faith desires to live a holy life.
This verse instructs us specifically to care about widows and orphans. Once I heard someone say that single parents are modern widows, and I do think there's truth in that. There are hurting people around us. God wants us to touch lives in a personal way, for our own benefit as well as theirs. I'm cautious about donating to big corporations and it no longer matters to me whether a donation is "tax deductible" or not.
I John 3:17-18 "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him? My little children, let's not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth."