The other night, I read James 1. It’s one of my all-time favorite Bible chapters, so if you haven’t read it…seriously, go do it.
The part of that chapter that really, really stood out to me the other night was verses 22-25.
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 someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. {James 1:22-25 NIV}
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that 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. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. {James 1:22-25 The Message}
And that’s when it hit me: I want to be a do-er.
A mover and a shaker.
A person could read the entire Bible through & listen to sermons galore but never really do anything in the end.
Doing is so important to me. Actually doing something matters.
You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. {Matthew 7:16 NLT}
Actions speak louder than words, it’s true. Anyone can say they want to do something great for God, but how many actually do?
I’m so guilty of “letting the Word go in one ear and out the other”. I’ll read a Bible verse and think, “Wow, I just love this!”…but if I never actually make use of what it says, what was the point?
I like to think about doing. I like to write about doing. But I really don’t “take action” very often. Or ever.
The Bible is supposed to be like a manual for a life. The stuff written in it tells us how to live. Not how to write/talk/dream about living, but how to actually do it. And that’s what God intended. For us to actually do the things He calls us to.
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So today, I’m calling you to action. Whatever you feel passionate about, DO it.
The dictionary has 2 definitions for doer:
1. One who does something: a doer of evil deeds. 2. A particularly active, energetic person: a real doer in party politics. Whatever you feel like your purpose is, live it out. Be energetic & truly passionate about it….it’s your purpose, after all. Maybe you feel called to take action for orphans {see another verse from James 1…verse 27}. Maybe you simply want to take small steps everyday to become more like Jesus. That’s something. Maybe your calling is to do something huge, maybe it’s to do something small. I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter. The Bible is full of calls to action. Make a difference for yourself, your community, and your kingdom by taking one on. Make a difference in this world. Be the change you’re wanting to see {because yes, with God, you have that kind of power}. Whatever it is, just do something. Start today, right now. Be the doer God created you to be.