Doers of the Word

Scripture

 James 1:16-25

¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved.

¹⁷Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ¹⁸In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

¹⁹You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. ²¹Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

²²But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. ²³For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; ²⁴for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. ²⁵But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act — they will be blessed in their doing.  (NRSV)

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Devotion

I get really frustrated when people say something is important but then refuse to do anything about it.  There are four main reasons this kind of situation upsets me.

1.   I don't understand expending the mental and emotional energy on talking about something if you aren't going act in some way. 
2.  It feels disingenuous.  Whether it be challenging an injustice, supporting a project, or offering care where it is needed, I feel that if something truly matters to people, they will want to be actively involved in it.
3. It seems counterproductive.  If everyone just sits around hearing and talking but never doing, then nothing will ever change.
4. If am ashamed of the number of times that I myself have heard God's Word but haven't acted to be a doer of it  Seeing others hear but not do reminds me of my own guilt.

This situation has been brought home to me yet again during the past few weeks as I have followed a couple situations that feel unjust and unfair.  These situations are occurring in and around places that I know hear God's Word and who preach that Word to others.  How, then, I wonder, can they be failing so badly at doing God's word?  Why aren't more people stepping up to help?  And why haven't I been bold enough, brave enough, or resourceful enough to do more than I have?  At times like this, it seems like Christ's church full or hearers but sadly lacking in doers.  Are we all just deceiving ourselves when we say that we are followers of Christ?

Being a doer of the Word can be a challenge...especially when we feel too far away, too ill-equipped, too confused, or too afraid to be of much help.  Sometimes it's just easier to throw up our hands and say someone else is going to have to do God's will, because we don't have the time, the money, or the energy to to make a difference.  And the more we back away from such situations and expect others to "do" for us, the more likely we are to repeat that pattern.

What, though, if we changed our attitudes to focus on not what we lack, but on the resources at our disposal?  Not on what we can't contribute, but what we can?   After all, James writes that every generous act or gift--no matter small or inconsequential it may seem to us--comes from the Father of light.  And those who perservere in but doers of the Word will discover God's blessings flowing through them.

So how can we be doers of the Word.  First, I think we need to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit so that we can hear God's call to action.  After we have heard the Word, we can think carefully about the skills, resources, and connections we have at our disposal.  We may not always be able to fix everything on our own...or even do something big--but we can usually contribute something to the cause.  Finally, we can work together with others so that when all our little actions are combined, then something big can emerge.

I've been going through this process in response to a situation that is causing a lot of people pain--one that I feel is unjust.  I'll admit that at first, I felt pretty powerless to do anything about the Word God had given me at first.  After all, I don't have the money or the official position to get much notice, and I live too far away to show up in person.  But then, the Holy Spirit, started reminding me of what I do have.  I have access to technology that lets me hear and share people's concerns.  I have a decent writing voice.  I have a little bit of spending money.  And what I lack in economic capital of official status, I make up for in social capital through my connections with a various people whose own voices and areas of expertise can provide some help.  

 

As of now, I am doing my best to use the talents, resources, and connections God gave me to do my small part addressing the situation.  And though I still worry that what I'm doing isn't enough, Christ has begun show me that my actions are making a difference in ways that I didn't expect.  Jesus has given me signs that I am helping people who felt silenced/dismissed be heard; bringing other voices to the conversation in ways that could impact certain decision-making processes; and easing a few people's burdens by letting them know that they are not alone--that there is a community of people out there who love and support them.  

 

My individual actions may make little difference in the grand scheme of things, but doing something on behalf of God's Word has to be better than sitting by and doing nothing.  Indeed, the doing is a blessing in and of itself for the way that it is bringing people together.  And I believe that with Christ's blessing, the perseverance of myself and others in doing God's word will bear good fruit.

 

Whatever God has placed on your heart of late, I challenge you to not just hear it--but to act on it.  Use the gifts you have been given and the connections you have to do whatever small bit you can--and then watch with wonder as your perseverance on behalf of Christ's Word begins to bear fruit.  You can be assured that with the Holy Spirit to guide you, you will be blessed in your doing.

 

 

Prayer

 Jesus, help me to be a doer or your Word and in that doing to witness to God's love for the world  I have faith your blessings will abound in every place where people persevere in acting according to your Word.  Amen.