James 1.22
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Today we look at the third discipline of The R Factor: Step Up. For every situation you face, there are discipline-driven responses available to you. It is your responsibility to step up and take the action you need for the outcome you want.
As you experience events and pursue outcomes, step up and respond with obedience and wisdom. Prayer is a central element of how you respond. So is scripture. As followers of Christ, we are to seek the Lord’s wisdom, know his word, and trust his power as we navigate the events of life and work.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5.16-18)
The James passage quoted at the top exhorts us to be doers of the word. Not just hearers, but doers. This follows James’ earlier admonition to “be humble and receive the implanted word.” The person who truly follows Jesus, who recognizes him not just as Savior but as Lord, seeks to obey scripture, not just read it.
God’s wisdom in our life is demonstrated through disciplined action. The Lord is saying that when it comes to the truth of his word, step up and take action. Press pause and get your mind right are great, but they mean nothing if we don’t step up.
This is an echo of what Jesus taught in the gospels. “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it,” Jesus said in Luke 11:28. And again in John 13:17 “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” If we read, research, remember, and reflect on the word of God, it means nothing if we do not act on and obey the word.
James says that if we only hear the word of God and do not put it into practice, then we have deceived ourselves. The illustration is that a hearer who does not do the word is like a person who sees himself in a mirror and then goes away and forgets what he looks like. The mirror gave the man truth about what he looks like, but when he walked away he completely forgot what the mirror revealed about his appearance.
The point is that when we read or hear the word of God, we are confronted with truth about ourselves. When we read the bible we are looking into a spiritual mirror that reveals who we really are and what we really look like. And the mirror of the word of God goes beyond surface appearance, looks deeply into our hearts, and exposes everything about us.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4.12-13)
The bible is not to be read at a distance. It isn’t a “safe” book to read. It speaks truth and then challenges us to step up and respond. Scripture gives the Ten Commandments, not the ten suggestions. The bible doesn’t ask for our opinion, it demands our obedience. Jesus is Lord, not a consultant or therapist.
Trust God and step up. Take action. Be a doer, not just a hearer.
