Monday, November 21, 2016

Not A Forgetful Hearer

I think all of us have looked at the time intently and the moment we looked away we quickly forgot the time and had to look again.

Why does that happen?

Perhaps because we are anxious about something and finding out the time is an action that is really a means to an end but does not touch that root issue so our mind discards the information.

"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 1:23-25 ESV

This passage became very fresh to me yesterday. I always saw it as an indictment of the hearer to be a better listener but it is actually showing the difference between the hearer who has liberty and the one who doesn't.

Grace gives liberty. Grace makes us free because the favor we are receiving is unmerited.

The free listener is present in the moment. Perfect love has cast out fear and they aren't doing things to cover themselves or in a fear based motivation.

If we are 'hearing' like a person who is checking their teeth for spinach then we will not be 'doers' because it takes liberty to even have the substance we need.

We must receive grace to give grace. Otherwise, we just impart our needs and not our provision.

Thank you, God! You have made us free. Our chains are gone. In liberty, we have a capacity for whatever You have planned today. Thank You.

--

No comments:

Post a Comment