True faith demands not only our words, but our actions.

 活出信仰不只是口说，还需要付诸行动。

Look after orphans and widows in their distress. James 1:27

看顾在患难中的孤儿寡妇。-雅各书1章27节

The phone rang in the night for my husband, a minister. One of the prayer warriors in our church, a woman in her seventies who lived alone, was being taken to the hospital. She was so ill that she was no longer eating or drinking, nor could she see or walk. Not knowing if she would live or die, we asked God for His help and mercy, feeling particularly concerned for her welfare. The church sprang into action with a round-the-clock schedule of visitors who not only ministered to her but showed Christian love to the other patients, visitors, and medical staff.

我先生是位传道人，一天夜里，我们接到一通找他的电话。原来是教会里的一位老姐妹住院了。这位独居的姐妹是我们的代祷勇士，今年已七十多岁。她的病情严重，无法进食饮水，甚至失去视觉和行动能力。我们不知道她是否能捱得过，除了恳求上帝的帮助和眷顾，也特别关心如何照顾她的需要。教会及时成立了探访小组，不但定时轮流到医院去照顾她，同时也用基督徒的爱关心其他的病人、访客和医疗人员。

James’s letter to the early Jewish Christians encouraged the church to care for the needy. James wanted the believers to go beyond just listening to the Word of God and to put their beliefs into action (1:22–25). By citing the need to care for orphans and widows (v. 27), he named a vulnerable group, for in the ancient world the family would have been responsible for their care.

雅各在写给早期犹太基督徒的书信中，也鼓励教会关怀有需要的人。雅各希望这些信徒不只是聆听上帝的话语，更要将他们的信仰付诸行动（1章22-25节）。在信中，雅各提到要看顾患难中的孤儿和寡妇（27节），因为在当时的社会，小孩和妇女都依赖家人的照顾。

How do we respond to those who are at risk in our church and community? Do we see caring for the widows and orphans as a vital part of the exercise of our faith? May God open our eyes to the opportunities to serve people in need everywhere.

在我们的教会和社区中，也有许多身处困境的人，我们该如何回应呢？我们是否将看顾寡妇和孤儿，视为实践信仰的重要部分呢？愿上帝开启你我的眼睛，让我们看到人们的需要，无论在何处都能把握机会服事他人。

Father God, Your heart beats for the vulnerable and for those who are alone. Help us to love Your people as You love them, for we are made in Your image.

天父上帝，祢心疼那些脆弱和孤寂的人。
求祢帮助我们，能像祢一样爱祢的子民，
因为我们都是按祢形象所造的。

James 1:22-27New International Version (NIV)

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 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.

整理：于姊妹