The Book of James Week Two Lesson Two

“Mirror, Mirror”

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 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” James 1:22-25

Have you ever been in a situation where you are supposed to be listening to important directions and you don’t remember a word that was said because your mind wandered? Well, I have. Sometimes, even though I know I must listen and process the information, my mind races to other places.These other places aren’t just gumdrops, lollipops and rainbows. These thoughts are important to me. Things like my husband’s job, my kids and grand-baby. There are home, friends, church...the list goes on and on. There are so many “important” things to think about. I am so focused on things that need to get done, that I don’t wait and find out what God has for me to do and learn. I skip over His plan because I am distracted by mine.

Remember the story about my son Johnny hearing his Grandma, but not listening? The lesson that day was on hearing AND listening. It was the process of taking in God’s Word and actually acting on it. James is assuming we have “heard” but not taken in the things God is speaking to us.

The process is actually pretty simple in implementing God’s directions to us:

1. Listen to what God’s Word says.
2. Do what God’s Word says.

Look again at our passage for today. What does James compare to the person who hears God’s Word but does not do what it says?

I compare it to all the cookbooks that I have. I love cookbooks and have lots of them. I love to look at the pictures and read the ingredients, dreaming about what they would taste like. However, after reading the ingredient list, I get discouraged and lazy and give up on the actual cooking process. I make excuses for not carrying through with the preparation with things I think like, “I don’t want to go to the grocery store,” or “Mike won’t like it anyway,” or “I’m too busy.” Sometimes, I don’t have the right ingredients and decide to substitute. The recipe doesn’t end up tasting right. I just give up and quit trying. Most times, I’m just downright lazy.

Maybe I’m oversimplifying a bit by comparing my cooking antics to this scripture from James, but it helps me see why I do what I do when I succumb to just hearing and not doing. Sometimes I just don’t want to make the effort. The truth is, God commands me to listen and act according to His Word if I am going to walk in obedience.

In the spiritual mirror of God’s Word, we can see the truth about ourselves. God’s standards (His Law) are set up to reflect back to us the truth about who we are compared to His glory. 

When I look at myself in God’s revealing truth, I see someone who doesn’t meet these standards. For example, I put myself and my needs before God . If I recognize this failure in myself and then walk away and do nothing about it, I continue in my sin.

Is it an impossible task to look into the mirror of God’s truth and see our true self? Is He asking too much of us to change and become like Him? How can we be perfect? That’s the issue. We can’t be perfect on our own. We are being made perfect through Him and by His power alone.

Read 1Peter 1:13-16. How are we to prepare our minds for action?

If we are obedient to God, what should we no longer conform ourselves too?

What has our Holy God called us to do?

Why has He called us to do this?

God has called us to be “holy” as He is holy. “Holy” means to be “set-part.” We are set-apart and separate from the sin that destroys our relationship with God. Jesus has made a way for us to be holy by God’s acceptance of His pure sacrifice for our sins. When we believe Jesus and lay down our wills for His, we become holy to God. We are set-apart.

Read James 1:25 again. What gives freedom?

What is the result of this freedom?

Just as a seed that is planted and watered, so is our spiritual growth, becoming holy or being perfected in Christ, is much the same. By following the will of God we will mature and produce fruit in our lives. Being perfected in a process. We must continually choose to be obedient in order to grow. If we allow the weeds of this world in, we will not become who He has meant for us to be. Where there is maturity in Christ there is growth and freedom. Where there is no obedience, even though we have the promise of eternal life, there is bondage and no growth.

Look into the spiritual mirror found through prayer and meditation of God’s Word. Reflect on what you see as God reveals Himself to you through Christ. Obey Him. Trust Him. Live like Jesus. Don’t turn away and forget or ignore what He so lovingly reveals. Don’t become discouraged. Have hope in the knowledge that He is perfecting you daily to be more and more like Jesus.