Be a Doer

Be doers of the word and not just hearers only, deluding yourselves. James 1:22

Do any of you have a person in your life who is absolutely brutally honest with you? You know, that person who will tell you just like it is and is not one bit afraid to call the kettle black? This type of person has an amazing ability to leave you breathless with one quick sentence.

The outcome is often the same…we stop, steam a bit, and then take some time to realize they just spoke a truth. We may not like the sound of it but it turns out very often to be something we needed to hear.

I heard a story several years ago about a person just like this.

The story goes like this; a wife told her husband that she wanted to take part in a new Bible study group at the church on Tuesday nights.

He replied, “Another one? “

“Yeah” she snapped, “You got a problem with that, Mr. I go bowling and hunting and fishing and never go to church with my wife on Sunday?”

The husband smiled and said, “I wouldn’t mind at all if you went to another Bible study, but I don’t see any evidence that you’ve used anything you’ve learned at the last 12 Bible studies you’ve already gone to.”

Ouch! There was that one honest line that left her breathless! After four days of no talking, no cooking, sleeping on the couch, and no communication whats-ever, she realized he was right! She hadn’t changed one bit despite all the time, energy and resources she’d invested in her former studies.

On day 5 she got up the courage to look him in the eyes and tell him he was right! She surprised her husband even further when she told him she wanted to make a deal with him. She said she would be willing to spend her time reviewing all the materials she already had instead of going to another Bible study if he would agree to go to church with her if he began to see her using what she had learned.

I don’t know how the story ended, but I have a hunch! St. James used some very simple words in this verse, words many of us, just like the lady in the story, are challenged by; being doers of the word and not just hearers.

I may aspire to be the town’s greatest cook and I may buy cookbook after cookbook and I might discuss cooking and recipes with others but none of that will really make me a great cook! I have to DO it…I have to roll up my sleeves, dig into the words, and put them into action! I have to take a risk and be willing to get messy and goof it up a few times before I get it right!

God doesn’t want to hear what we know; he wants to SEE what we know. Easier said than done for sure, but now is the time to dig in and be a DOER of the word!

A seed to plant: Read James Chapter 1 and pick two things that hit your heart. Write down how you will “DO” those two things this week!

Blessings on your day!