When I wake up every morning, I look into the mirror while I brush my teeth. In fact, I look in the mirror frequently throughout each day. Sometimes it's to survey my outfit or to check my receding hairline. Other times, I just enjoy saying hi to myself.
The purpose of a mirror is to accurately reflect what you look like. And in doing so, that you may be able to discern imperfections that you might do something about. When does one leave the mirror if a blemish or flaw that can be fixed is starring back at them?
I think this what James was getting at in James 1:22-25. In summary, he basically says that we should obey what we read in the Bible. If we don't, it's like a man who looks in the mirror and forgets what he looks like once he walks away. Well, God's Word is like a mirror.
The Bible gives us a perfect reflection of who we are. It exposes all of our imperfections and flaws. Choosing not to obey God's Word is like seeing a major flaw in the mirror and simply walking away.
Steven Furtick said in a March sermon that, "God's word is simple, but not simplistic." It reveals who we are and clearly tells us how to fix our imperfections. It's through obedience.
Obedience is not a call for legalism or a set of rules to follow. Instead, it's doing what we know is right and responding to what we see in the mirror of imperfection. Furtick also stated that a problem arises when we become educated beyond our level of obedience.
We have a knowledge surplus and an obedience deficiency in the United States. We don't need to read more books, hear more sermons or go to more conferences. We need to look at who we are and allow God to do what he does best--fix us.
The Word of God is plain and shows what is there. What do you see when you look in the mirror?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does. ~ James 1:22-25
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I see pride! I see power! I see a bad *** mother who don't take no crap off of nobody!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Kevin. It kills me to sit here and be the peanut gallery when you have such insightful, heartfelt things to say, but it's just about the best movie ever.