James 1:19-27New Living Translation
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[a] does not produce the righteousness[b] God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
This is the second in a study of James 1:19-27. Here we read that James is imploring his readers to not just listen to what God’s word says, but truly hear and then do what it says. What good would it do if you read the entirety of scripture yet didn’t remember any of what you just read? There is power in the word of God to change lives, but it is powerless to those who pay little to no attention to its meaty content. Those who intend to live a godly life will feast on the riches of the word and then practice what it says.
In James day mirrors were not as they are today. They were made of polished metal, however, a clear image could still be seen. So if you read the word of God and then do not remember or apply it’s message to your life it is like gazing upon your own image in a reflective surface then turning away forgetting what you look like.
It really comes down to priorities. What is most important in your life? Since God’s promises have yourlife covered, you are free to concentrate on other things. The most important thing you should focus on is living a godly life, for what good is it to anyone if you simply go about your business without imitating what God has laid before us in his word. The Bible isn’t full of suggestions or options, but rather instructions that God fully expects the ardent believer to follow. Why? Because in all his wisdom man hasn’t come up with a plan that comes close to matching the majestic superiority of God’s plan for us. Man’s plans are nothing more than a faint and feeble knockoff of the Master’s plan. God’s plan is one that forgives, provides, instructs and guides us all the way to heaven with him for all eternity.
In closing I’d like to say that we absolutely should not obey God simply for his blessing. We should obey God because we feel compelled to. We have a desire to please the one person who truly knows and loves us in spite of ourselves. We are blessed because of God’s wonderful and matchless grace. Willingly serve God because that is where truth lies, not in anything this world has to offer. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
Resources: The Reformation Study Bible; The Life Application Study Bible.
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