All Christians fit into one of three categories when it comes to hearing and doing:
1 – they don’t hear at all
They are not faithful in church, never read their Bible, etc.
2 – they hear and do
They are faithful to absorb truth often and work to apply it
3 – they hear and forget
They listened with good intentions, but never make application
Those in category one pose a different set of problems that we will save for perhaps a different time. Our concern here is finding the correct balance of hearing and doing. And the book of James is instructive when it comes to doing, telling us of two options that exist: living the Word or forgetting the Word.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:22-25
The Word of God is a mirror for our life. It gives us information. But it is not enough just to see the information. We must take what we see and use it. We must apply it. We must live it. And if we live it, we will be blessed. Simple to understand. Harder to do.
When you wake up in the morning and you look in the mirror – it’s not enough just to look at yourself and walk away. At least not for me. You must do something with the information you have just been given by the mirror. You need to brush your hair for goodness sakes. You need to change your clothes. You definitely need to brush your teeth. Some mornings, the signal may be so strong that you just need to go back to bed! Whatever the mirror is telling you, you need to take action or there is no point in having a mirror at all.
In the same way, it is not enough to merely hear God’s Word – either during the weekly Sunday sermon or when you read it yourself during the week – and not do anything about it.
Too many Christians substitute hearing for doing. But it is not the hearing that brings the blessings – it’s the doing. I can read a verse that teaches me that I need to love my wife; but if I don’t take action to show her love, I will not have any of the blessings of a good marriage that are offered.
The Bible here calls itself “the perfect law of liberty”. The Word of God brings liberty – freedom – to our lives – when we apply it and live it. When we stay within it’s boundaries, we find freedom to be who God intended us to be – fulfilling His purpose.
One of my favorite verses about the impact of God’s Word applied is this one:
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
Psalm 119:45
The word liberty here literally means “a wide place”.
When I hear and then seek to live His Word, God will make my life like a broad plain, full of good choices and options, a life free and overflowing with blessed paths every day!
This post is a part of a series of posts that are excerpts from my book “Finding Your Midpoint: Locating the Balanced Positions for Your Life and Ministry” – available on Amazon or wherever books are sold.