The Dead Zone

I remember my first cell phone. Actually, it was a "mobile" phone. In Arizona, late 90's it made more sense to speak of "live" zones instead of "dead" zones. There was a strip of coverage about the size of a large biscuit between Dewey and Phoenix which allowed you to say helloI'mfineonthewayhomeloveyaseeyabye. Then as quickly as it arrived it left. Call over, Signal gone. What good is a cell phone if it doesn't work? If James is right, we are struggling with a similar issue. What good is faith if it doesn't work? (Faith without works is dead James 2:17) Be careful with that question, I'm not talking about faith "working" selfishly for our interests (read James again). No, the work that James attaches to faith has to do with unselfishness. It has to do with faithful living that requires loving God and serving others. Too many of us spend too much time in the dead zone of faith. Sadly, it's not because we don't have a signal. Most of the time we have four bars.