James: Wisdom for Practical LifeSample

Hearing And Doing 

One area where children always get into trouble with parents is in the area of hearing and doing. Similarly, sometimes we pretend to hear. There are times we hear, but forget. There are even times when we hear, but don’t want to do it. Hearing and doing is a human problem. 

This passage reveals our problem with hearing and doing God’s word. 

In v.19, the Bible says we are to be quick to hear. Are we eager and enthusiastic in seeking God’s word, reading it and listening to it? 

It also says we should be slow to speak. How often we rush to conclusions, judgments and decisions without really discerning God’s heart in those matters? 

And finally, slow to anger. There are instances when we resent and resist the word of God because it does not agree with our plans and desires or because it confronts and exposes our sin. 

Scripture warns us about deceiving ourselves. 

God calls us to use our head, heart and hands when we engage with scripture. 

Engage with your head. We are called to look intently (v.23) and look into (v.25) God’s word. You can do this by prayerfully reading and engaging with scripture. Read slowly, meditatively, reflectively and repeatedly. Look at the details of scripture in the passage and find out its meaning. 

Engage with your heart. Receive God’s word with humility (v.21) and confront sin and wickedness in your hearts. Let your heart posture be one of submission, open and delighted in God’s word. 

Engage with your hands. Apply God’s word to your current life situations. Examine and see how it relates to your life now. In v.21, it addresses inner purity and in v.27 it addresses external good works. Transformation is both inward and outward. 

How can we match this high standard? Is there anyone who was quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger? Is there anyone who looked intently into God’s laws and delighted to hear and do it? Is there anyone whose words and deeds perfectly reflected the word of God? It was Jesus. He delighted to do God’s will (Heb 10:7, Psalm 40:8) and by His perfect obedience to the law, we are saved (Rom 5:19). Jesus was our substitute on the cross, paying for our sin of indifference and inaction toward God’s word. And it is because of what Jesus did, we can now obey God’s laws without fear of penalty when we fail. Because of His Spirit, we now have the power and desire to obey God’s laws.