If you’ve ever watched a major soccer tournament like the World Cup, you’ve likely witnessed a familiar scene: a player goes down hard, clutching an ankle and writhing in apparent agony. You think their career might be over, but a minute later, they get right back up and sprint down the field. There is a massive difference between someone faking an injury and someone who is truly helpless.

When it comes to living out our faith, Jesus calls us to have a compassionate heart toward the actual helpless. In the fifth week of our study in James, we move from the words of our mouths to the actions of our bodies. Having genuine, saving faith means transitioning from “tongues and thumbs” to becoming the hands and feet of Jesus in a broken world. This looks like compassionate Christianity in action, defined by three clear markers.