Note again James 1:22: “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” You prove that you are a “doer of the word” by doing what the word says. The Word, God’s Word, found in the Bible is our guide, our standard for life. Maybe it is time for a look in the mirror. As you observe your image, a good question to ask is, “What does God see when He looks at me?” Does He see a life of purpose and meaning? Why am I here? Where am I going? A life without purpose and meaning most always leads to a sad ending.
As you look into the eyes looking back at you in the mirror, what do you see? Is it purpose and direction or is it a jumbled up mess? Is the street you are traveling a dead end or does it present great growth possibilities? Another good question to consider is, “What is God’s purpose for my life?” Note what the Apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to Timothy. He said God has “…saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (II Tim. 1:9). His purpose includes us living “…sensibly, righteously and godly in this present age” (Tit. 2:12). And then there is this exhortation: “…like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (I Pet. 1:15). Somebody said it like this: “Holy is who you are. Godly is how you live.” Does that describe you and me?
Being a doer of the Word helps one to understand who he/she is and gives meaning to life. Such helps us to also fulfill God’s purpose for us. Paul says it like this: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). We certainly need to understand our place and purpose in life and be about accomplishing it. Being a “doer of the word” proves you have that understanding. The choice is ours to be “a forgetful hearer” or an “effectual doer” who “shall be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25).
Note that those blessings are not promised to the “forgetful hearer.”
The words of a great song come to mind: “Bring Christ your broken life so marred by sin. He will create anew, make whole again.” What a blessing God has made possible for us through Jesus Christ. As long as there is life, it is never to late to start over, to have a new beginning. If you would like to talk about it, drop me a note: PO Box 1399, Kosciusko.
— Les Ferguson Sr., South Huntington Church of Christ
