By April Nevels Icsman
Anyone who has done any cooking (or even eating) realizes the importance of the sieve. When I was first started cooking, I tried to survive without one. Holding the vegetables , salad, or fruits in my hand , I would run the water over them. Since my hands are not that big, this process could take some time! Eventually breaking down and buying a sieve made cooking immensely easier and safer.
We know it is important to fill our lives with good deeds and activities. We show our faith by our works. The book of James explains this in depth, but a few key verses are in James 2:14-16:
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
And so we complete good deeds and works, not to save ourselves because Christ accomplished that on the cross, but to spread his love. Not saved by our works, but known by them.
I Corinthians also talks about works and building our foundation on Jesus Christ:
“Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be renewed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward, If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-14)
Almost every major religion recognizes the importance of good deeds, but how do we know if our deeds and actions will pass the Jesus Sieve test? And since we only have 24 hours in a day, how do we determine what things to do? Discernment is crucial. We can always begin with determining its eternal value and whether it will bring glory to God and bring us and others closer to God and the truth of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4: 8,9
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. “
At the end of our lives when we stand before God, may our deeds remain after the Jesus Sieve Test. And may we be greeted with these words, “Welcome, my good and faithful servant.”
