Put your beliefs into action

The Epistle of James is probably my favourite book in the Bible, and also contains my favourite passage (James 2: 14-18 KJV):

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?

“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

“Even so faith, if it had not works, is dead, being alone.

“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

This is a powerful reading even if you are not necessarily a Christian.

It reminds us that no matter how sincerely we may believe in something whether it’s a religion, cause or whatever the best way to express that belief is in our actions.

I was thinking of this passage a lot as I read about Sarah Ferguson on this week’s front page.

I’ve been following her journey online since she started and if ever there was a perfect example of James’ words, this was it.

It’s one thing to want to raise awareness for a cause, even one as important as plastic pollution. But to then commit to swimming 1,500km to do so is a new level of commitment.

Ferguson’s cause is a noble one and definitely deserves our support.

Of course, this isn’t to say we all need to go out and do similarly extreme feats to show our dedication to something, but often it’s far easier to simply proclaim your belief in something while doing little to actually follow through.

In a country wracked by numerous crises such as poverty, xenephobia and the ongoing climate disaster it may be time for more people to, as James said, “shew thee my faith by my works”.