Text: James 1:22-25
But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act- they will be blessed in their doing.
Everyone hears the word - not everyone does something with what they hear. The emphasis again has to do with making the Good News a living news among us. With the strong emphasis there is on community life, it is no wonder James comes forward with such a call for congruence betwenn hearing and doing. I think it is important to note that the ones who are merely hearers, deceive themselves. In other words, we miss out on the life within the word of Good News when it is among us as word only...word as something we hear instead of word we enter as life. It is obvious that the community would miss out on the call to be God's beloved, but we as individuals miss out on an adventure that claims to be a life of shalom and wholeness. Remember also, that the "perfect law" was good. So to do the law was and is a creative "doing." Don't let the notion of law be merely a negative word that is in contrast to grace - for the law is a grace-filled gift for our living!
Connection: Doing the word does not take special attention nor does it take setting aside time to "do" it. Today we will find ourselves in many situations in which the word we know so well can be the word we live out and share. It could be that in the doing of the word, we will actually come into the place in our lives when we will indeed "find ourselves" as children of God - living as children whose lives praise and honor the one who blesses us. In the Holy Communion hymn, "Now the Silence," the moment at hand is full of opportunity and adventure and life. It ends with: Now the Father's blessing. Now. Now. Now.
O God, how sweet is the word that bathes us in your love. May it be like honey that sticks to us and gets all over everything we touch. May our lives drip with your love for us that becomes our love for the world around us. Empower us by your Holy Spirit that we may be alive with your word. Amen.
But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act- they will be blessed in their doing.
Everyone hears the word - not everyone does something with what they hear. The emphasis again has to do with making the Good News a living news among us. With the strong emphasis there is on community life, it is no wonder James comes forward with such a call for congruence betwenn hearing and doing. I think it is important to note that the ones who are merely hearers, deceive themselves. In other words, we miss out on the life within the word of Good News when it is among us as word only...word as something we hear instead of word we enter as life. It is obvious that the community would miss out on the call to be God's beloved, but we as individuals miss out on an adventure that claims to be a life of shalom and wholeness. Remember also, that the "perfect law" was good. So to do the law was and is a creative "doing." Don't let the notion of law be merely a negative word that is in contrast to grace - for the law is a grace-filled gift for our living!
Connection: Doing the word does not take special attention nor does it take setting aside time to "do" it. Today we will find ourselves in many situations in which the word we know so well can be the word we live out and share. It could be that in the doing of the word, we will actually come into the place in our lives when we will indeed "find ourselves" as children of God - living as children whose lives praise and honor the one who blesses us. In the Holy Communion hymn, "Now the Silence," the moment at hand is full of opportunity and adventure and life. It ends with: Now the Father's blessing. Now. Now. Now.
O God, how sweet is the word that bathes us in your love. May it be like honey that sticks to us and gets all over everything we touch. May our lives drip with your love for us that becomes our love for the world around us. Empower us by your Holy Spirit that we may be alive with your word. Amen.
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