Beyond the Mirror
The other day, my husband Jason came into the bedroom where I was working on my latest book. I immediately noticed a long smear of grease on his face. When I pointed it out, he chuckled and told me he had been working on a project in the kitchen and had gotten a bit dirty.
A few hours later, while I was writing in my office, he left with Tess to take her for a walk and run a few errands in town. When they returned, he walked through the door to my office, and I couldn’t help but smile. He still had the long streak of grease running down his face, and he had walked all around town that way!
The situation reminded me of the passage in James about looking in a mirror, seeing our flaws, and then walking away without doing anything about them. The mirror in James represents the Word of God.
James 1:23-25 (KJV) says, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
Just like Jason, who forgot about the grease on his face and went about his day, we can sometimes forget about what we learn from God’s Word and go about our day without applying it to our lives. We may read a passage that convicts us of a particular sin or encourages us to do good, but then we forget about it and go on with our day without changing.
But the Bible tells us that we should not only be hearers of the Word but also doers. We should look into the perfect law of liberty and continue in it, not forgetting what we have learned. When we do this, we will be blessed in our deeds.
So, how can we ensure we are not just hearers of the Word but also doers? Here are a few practical tips:
Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you in understanding and applying God’s Word.
Take notes when you read the Bible or listen to a sermon. Write down any verses that stand out to you and any applications you can think of.
Share what you have learned with others. Sharing helps us remember what we have learned and also encourages others.
Put it into practice. Look for opportunities to apply what you have learned in your daily life.
So, the next time you read the Bible or hear a sermon, don’t just hear the Word and forget about it. Look into the perfect law of liberty, apply it to your life, and be a doer of the Word. You will be blessed in your deeds, and you will also be a blessing to others.
As for Jason, I reminded him to wash his face before he went out again. I also reminded myself to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. May we all strive to do the same.