Are you the type of person who can’t sit still? Are you continually up doing something? Or do you prefer to sit and direct others? Is your preference to read and ponder? Have you found a balance between the two? Do you educate yourself and do things?
We all know someone who simply cannot sit still. They are constantly doing something. The only break they take is to eat. On the other hand, we also know someone who prefers to sit. They read, watch television, or stream videos. They keep their mind active.
Being extremely one way or the other is not good for us. We must find a balance between the two. We need to learn by reading, hearing, and through study. Yet, we also need to take action, putting what we learn to work. This is appropriate for us in the workplace, our family, and our Christian walk.
James tells us we are to put the Word of God to work in our lives. We cannot simply sit and listen to it, which was they way the Word was given to the first century Christians. Today, we can add that we cannot merely read our Bibles. We must put what we read and learn about God into action. How do we do that?
Our first step is to pray, asking God to show us how he wants us to put his Word into action. Next, we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us and earnestly seek to hear his guidance. It may come in the form of an inner voice, a gut feeling, a friend encouraging us, or an opportunity in the church.
As James says, if we only hear or read God’s Word and do nothing with it, we deceive ourselves. We may falsely believe we are being good disciples. Rather than deceiving ourselves, we are to work at the good works God has designated for us. There is plenty of good works to be done.
I pray we all hear or read God’s Word. I pray we learn from it. I pray each one of us commit to putting what we learn into action, doing the good works God has set aside for us. Read God’s Word. Hear God’s Word. Learn from God’s Word. Put God’s Word into action.
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
Marty Pressey 