23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does.
What does James mean by being a hearer of the word and not a doer? I think this illustration is more about how we absorb what we are reading/studying. We talked in verse 22, about that being a call to action and we needed to act on what God’s word teaches us. These verses take that a bit further with a comparison of what happens when you are just a hearer of the word without taking action.
Hearers are complacent. Forgetful is defined as: to treat with inattention or disregard. How many times have you asked a child to do something and when you confronted them about why it wasn’t done, the answer was, “I forgot”?. It drives us crazy! But that is exactly what we are doing when we are just hearers of God’s Word. It is a blatant disregard for God’s instruction.
On the other hand, if we are doer’s of God’s word, we are attentive and look intently into the perfect law of freedom (wait, obeying God’s word brings freedom?) and perservering brings blessing? Sign me up!
But, it is not really that easy is it? (at least not for me). I take notes on Sunday morning, I teach a weekly bible study, but how often do i revisit/reread what I learned?
How can we be attentive to what we are learning (I made this list for myself):
- Sit in God’s word for a spell (after you have read a passage, ponder it)
- Ask God, EVERYTIME, what do you want me to do with what I have learned?
- Then, DO IT.
- Thank God for the lessons he is teaching.
Would love to hear from you on ways that you put into action what God is teaching you.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Jas 1:23–25). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
