Hug of War Instead of Tug of War

A few years ago, Bobby introduced me to this poem by Shel Silverstein. What a great goal for us as Christians. It may be difficult for some of you to roll on the rug right now, but those hugs should still come easy for you.

I will not play at tug o' war.

I'd rather play at hug o' war,

Where everyone hugs

Instead of tugs,

Where everyone giggles

And rolls on the rug,

Where everyone kisses,

And everyone grins,

And everyone cuddles,

And everyone wins.

I’m not saying we need to live in a Pollyanna world, but I am saying how important it is to recognize when you can help someone by your actions.

In today’s verse, James is giving us a reminder that we can be “talking the talk” and not really be “walking the walk” in a way that produces good results. Let me expound on this…

You can hand a hungry person a “trust Jesus or go to hell” tract and ignore the fact that they are needing more from you. You can give someone a sermonette all about Jesus, and basically say, “have a nice life”, when in reality, they needed a hug before they could receive what you were dishing out. They may be grieving or overwhelmed with their circumstances. They need to experience how much you really care about them. Don’t be so concerned about your sermon that their needs are being taken lightly.

Don’t mistake what I’m saying to mean we shouldn’t share Jesus (our only hope) with all we meet. I’m saying be AWARE! Look in someone’s face and try to meet their immediate need. And by all means, share the love of Jesus.

If you remember, Jesus made sure folks were fed as He shared important truths with them. He healed those that needed healing. Even in the midst of giving them the Word of life, He made sure they had what was needed at the time.

James 2:17 NLT

[17] So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

#helpforyourdailywalk #paulaandthebible