James 1:22-25
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
One of the convenience stores that I frequent for a cup of coffee, an MTO (made to order) sandwich, or a little gas for my vehicle has a mirror placed outside their restrooms. The interesting thing about this mirror that differs from the one over the sinks in their restrooms is my reflection. The restroom mirror reflects my true appearance, while the one strategically placed outside the entrance of the restroom reflects someone who appears to be much thinner. Obviously, it is a marketing ploy to encourage one to buy a few extra donuts.
I must admit, there are times when I pause at that “thinning” mirror a few extra seconds and think that I need to take my healthy eating more seriously so that my image is equally reflected in both of those convenience store mirrors, but those thoughts soon get pushed aside by my event-crazed days.
James’ instruction to us is simple. Be more than hearers, act on what we hear. According to James, if we follow these simple instructions, we will be blessed in what we do. Yet those instructions are far from simple. How often do we walk away from our devotional time or that Sunday morning sermon and immediately forget what we heard, that our living doesn’t reflect what we just read or heard?
Our education and learning experiences are an incredible gift and opportunity not only to us but to those we interact and minister to on a daily basis. When we act on what we have heard and learned, much like the teachers, instructors, and pastors who study so that they can pass on what they learned, they gift us, bless us, so that we can be a blessing to others and truly live into the words of James. We Brethren have been known by the manner of our living - living a life that reflects what we learn from the Word. May it be so.
