Living the word of God

Jas 1:23 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:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

We are surrounded by mirrors. Every house has a mirror, every bathroom has a mirror, we have big mirrors and tiny hand held mirrors. Maybe I'm being presumptuous, I'm sure there are a lot of homes without mirrors but not in the United States. Our stores have mirrors, restaurants have mirrors, etc. Barring a mirror there are many reflective surfaces that surround us all the time.

Watching clips from the show Survivor after the contestants are sent back to a camp if they are put on the jury, it's very common for each person returning from the game to the camp to be shocked at how they appear when they get their first real glimpse of themselves in a mirror. They're amazed at how they look and mostly NOT in a good way. They've become so used to viewing themselves daily- several times a day- that to go without access to a mirror is a huge deal to them.

We DO look into reflective surfaces all the time and yet when we go away from the mirror and set about our business do we fully recall our appearance? Some will be quick to say they do but truthfully if they really remembered -would they have to look at themselves so often?

What are we doing when we look into the mirror? What are we expecting to see? We are appraising our appearance aren't we? We are judging whether or not there are imperfections we need to fix-aren't we? Hair that needs to be brushed just so. Dirt on a face that needs to be washed. Teeth that need to be brushed. Blemishes that need to be noted and tended. We are trying to look a certain way aren't we? We call it respectable, decent, well groomed and so on and so forth. We are trying to look our best. A lot of people look into mirrors to put make up on their faces to alter their natural appearance. People style their hair this way and that and they do it hoping it will look good. Some people look in mirrors and are disgusted with what they see- some honestly, genuinely disgusted and others using self-delusion believing they are disgusting when in truth they are not. Mirrors can be good things, showing us things we might not otherwise see that need seeing. Mirrors don't always have to be used for vanity, right?

Looking into a mirror and seeing our natural faces we look at them and then we walk away and we no longer are face to face with ourselves having to see ourselves, examine ourselves. We can begin to imagine we are better than what we appeared in that mirror- right? We don't have to see ourselves any longer and see the truth of our appearance. When we don't see ourselves we can imagine so many other things about ourselves, yes? Some might want to forget what they look like, some might want to forget the imperfections in themselves.

Someone who only hears but does not obey the word of the LORD, is like a person who doesn't want to be face to face with the reality of themselves, their sinfulness.

One who hears the word of the LORD and then does what the word tells them to do is like someone who leaves the mirror and remembers exactly what they saw there, forgetting nothing - it's as if they continue looking into the reflection of themselves so they don't forget what they are seeing. They want to see their imperfections so they can understand that it is God who is great, not them.

Jas 1:25 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.

When we look into the WORD of God we are free to believe in Him, free to have faith, free to love, free to be saved by the grace of our Lord. If we continue to believe in the word of God, NOT FORGETTING the word, we are blessed. If we follow the word of God- actively- then we are blessed in what we do.

We cannot allow ourselves to be stop at hearing the word of God, hearing, ever hearing and NEVER making the word of God real in our lives. It isn't easy making the word of God real in our lives- it involves suffering the death to self that we naturally rebel against. Is it any wonder the majority of people would rather hear and not do.

May we forever and always be hearers and doers of the word of God no matter the pain it brings, no matter what trails, what temptations, whatever it is we are called to face. May we forever continue to grow in the grace of the LORD. Please Lord, help us to be doers of Your word ALWAYS, help us, please we are lost without You.

In Your amazing love!

By YOUR GRACE!

Amen.