Listen, Obey, Repeat

“Don’t be fooled into thinking you are a listener when you are anything but,

letting the Word go in one ear and out the other.

Act on what you hear!

Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror,

walk away and two minutes later have no idea who they are,

what they look like. “

James 1 Message

James is calling us out. Anyone else feel like he is talking directly to you? I love reading the word, I love the passages that remind me of how loved I am and safe I am with God. I like to meditate on those. But James, he steps on my toes.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,

he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 

For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres,

being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts,

he will be blessed in his doing."

James 1:22-25 ESV

If you are like me, I often have good intentions but lack follow through. Why? What happens between reading and acting?

I forget who I am.

Do you know what I think happens to me?

I think I underestimate the simple tool of distraction. Why would Satan put in optimal effort to stop my obedience when he knows a shift of thought will do the trick. Just make me put it off and I’ll forget, it only takes two minutes, and I’ve lost it.

If we obey, God will use us.

If we delay, we’ll just forget.

Danger averted. No one was helped or encouraged or prayed with.

But if we obey immediately, even if it seems a little crazy or inconvenient, something shifts. We remember who we are, not just hearers but doers. We remember what is really happening when we listen to a story, give a hug, or go out of our way to encourage.

We remember eternity and what we are able to store away there: love.

This week I’ve been working on listening for anything that comes to mind while I read the Bible or pray.

Then I do it.

I’ve had some crazy opportunities this week, and I’m pretty sure it’s because I decided to listen.

I met a physical need and I’m pretty sure I got to see God actually miraculously multiply it.

I called and prayed with at least three people.

I took bread to my neighbor.

I held the door for three different people who made eye contact with me out of, I think, shock that I would go out of the way to do it.

Do you know what? None of it took very long.

That’s what we all worry about:  time.

We feel like we don’t have any to give. When I acted in obedience without first wondering if I had time or what the cost would be, everything worked out.

So this next week, my challenge to you is OBEY first, think about it later.

Bake something for a neighbor, meet a physical need, spend your time on someone (this could even look like going to a person to pray with them in their need or calling instead of texting). WRITE A LETTER (one with what are those called??? stamps??).

Just listen to ideas dropped by the Holy Spirit.

I promise the more you listen, the more you’ll hear.

Final note:

This is not a call to do more, if you think it is you need to go back and read my email from last week. We want to be in the business of listening and obeying...just loving people, not to do lists, so don’t start making lists with your own ideas, just follow God’s voice. He won't ask you to do anything that He doesn't provide for.