“Do not ONLY listen to the Word, do what it says.” James 1:22 (SyS paraphrase)
Obviously we cannot act on something that we do not know to do. So, we may conclude that James knew his audience would listen to the Word. Yet, he also knew that listening alone was insufficient to achieve the Word’s purpose in the life of the listener.
Note this exhortation from Job 34:4 (ESV) “Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.” Don’t you just wish that every decision would be the right one?
We make choices every day. Sometimes we choose without any conscious awareness, but how do we choose what is right without having heard what is right and wrong?
A particular choice, with its inherent ramifications, is the concern of James and most pastors today. We want our audiences to understand that their choices must go beyond merely hearing or reading the Word of God. So what is the issue? Will I choose to hear and not obey or hear and act? Is my life focus toward obedience and growth or simply being an onlooker?
Somewhere in the path of our lives, we decide by conscious thought or by default what we will do. Like James, we pastors want to influence the Church to act by default. Make the action required by the Word become automatic.
If we have failed to act on the Word in the past, we can begin acting on it today. That is the grace of repentance . . . changing our life choice from onlooker to active participant.
We have choices today. Choose well. Choose right. Choose to act on the Word you have heard.
Dear Father, give me the strength to focus my life by the Word of God. I desire your guidance in all my choices. Enable me to always act in accord with your Word. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today by doing the Word,