Today I Learned

James 1: 27 (NIV)

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.

Today I learned that religion is action. It is:

1. Helping those who can't help themselves, taking care of people -- such as widows and orphans -- who are in need of love and care.

AND

2. Keeping yourself pure. This perhaps, is my new year's resolution, if you will. Increasingly, I feel the world is too noisy. I love media and entertainment, industries where this is especially true. But it takes wisdom and focus to appreciate or consider these things without allowing them to "pollute" you. And actually, it seems these two directives dovetail. I imagine that with unpolluted vision, it would be easier for me to recognize those I can "look after."

I don't think God will ask me if I had a drink last Saturday or if I went to church every Sunday. But I'm certain He will judge if I've done these two simple things to the best of my ability.

Today I learned, I've got work to do.