There Are Hearers and Then There are Doers!

"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22)

The truth bound up in this single yet powerful statement of the Apostle James is without a doubt the most foundational in any believer's daily walk! The issue at the heart of it all is whether we live as "hearers" or "doers." Take a moment, then, to consider ramifications of each choice.

Perhaps the first thing we ought to note is that there is nothing inherently wrong with being a "hearer" of God's Word. In fact, every "doer" today must first be a "hearer"! The problem does not arise until we encounter the little Greek word monon which means "exclusively" and is here translated "merely." To be a "hearer" is a good thing, but to be "merely" a hearer is not! As James has pointed out, to make the choice to be merely a hearer of God's Word is to "delude" yourself. The Greek verb paralogizomai is rich in meaning, beloved. It means literally "reason beside" in the sense of stepping outside of that which is reasonable and rational and coming to completely false conclusions. Today we might say such a person has "taken leave of his senses."

By contrast the true "doer" is the believer who takes action as a result of what he has heard in his heart from the Word of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit. One truth which James has made abundantly clear, beloved, is that God never intended for us to "hear" His Word and not respond to it. We ought always to be changed, always to be transformed, always to be set on new paths with renewed vigor. Otherwise, what is the point of even "hearing"?

James' description of the "doer's" look into the truth of the Word is graphic and prosaic. The word he uses in the original language means to "stoop down beside." The picture is that of one who stops and stoops to take a closer and longer look into something, much like one who stoops to gaze into a silent clear pool of water, noting his own reflection in that liquid mirror. He looks long and he looks intently, drinking in all that is being reflected back to him. He takes note of what he sees, takes note of areas where attention is needed, and completely analyzes his true condition. Then with that understanding clear, he rises to his feet and takes action in keeping with what he has been shown by the mirrored image.

There is simply no more basic or foundational need in the life of every Christian than this, beloved! If we fail as "hearers" to become "doers" of the Word, then we fail at the core of what makes us who we are. We fail the kingdom of God. We fail the Savior who shed His blood and bought us for Himself. We fail the plan and purpose of God for all mankind.

May I say to you today that in this we must not fail! To be satisfied to become a self-deceived hearer is simply not an option. We must become "doers" of the Word. We must take action in all that the Spirit of God shows us as we stoop to gaze intently into the mirror of God's truth. Are you a "doer"?

Ron