The Truth Process, Session V, Post 9

Listening and Doing
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 a 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)
When I was a child, I perfected the ability to listen, without doing. I can still remember my mother’s voice – “Johnny, you’d better not _________.” Or – “Johnny, I want you to _________.” I listened to what she said, and I understood the meaning of her words. I would mutter “OK” to indicate my agreement. It wasn’t long however before I was doing the thing I was not supposed to do and not doing the thing I was supposed to do. I am sure that this behavior was a contributing factor to my having a painful encounter with my mother’s “board of education” just about every weekend. (Strangely, I was well behaved during the week while in elementary school.)
What makes a young child listen without doing? For me, it was stubbornness and a desire to have what I wanted – which was usually the opposite of what my mother wanted. I wanted my own way even when her instruction was logical, reasonable, and in my best interest. You see, it was really all about me and my desires. So I listened, but I did not do.
Many years later, I find that I have a tendency to revert to this old behavior pattern. It is no longer my mother’s voice that I listen to, but God’s voice which comes to me through his divinely inspired word. When I look intently into the word, I find wisdom and insight into every aspect of my life – my thoughts, my words, my marriage, my children, my work, my finances, EVERYTHING. I listen to the word of God, and I understand the meaning. But all too often I end up doing the thing I was not supposed to do and not doing the thing I was supposed to do. (See Romans 7:14-20)
As we saw in our study last week, God calls us as believers to be involved in the lives of others. We are to be good neighbors to the needy. Everyone is needy from time to time, whether due to illness, poverty, widowhood, discouragement, loneliness, or a variety of other causes. The needy are everywhere, and the clear call of scripture is that I am to be a good neighbor to the needy that God brings across my path. I listen to the word of God. I understand it. But do I do it?
Now this may come as a surprise to some of you, but people’s lives can be messy and complicated. It takes time and effort to be a neighbor to the needy. It’s just easier to not get involved, and besides, I am much too busy already. This is the ever present “it’s all about me” attitude, and this attitude presents a huge obstacle to fulfilling God’s call to community and involvement.
As a believer, my life is to reflect the character and nature of God. One aspect of his nature is his great compassion for those in need. (Matthew 11:28-30)
If it is up to me and my strength and will power, I will never reflect his nature. I am not capable of this on my own. I do not have the power to do this. When I learn that it is his power, not mine that enables me to live as I should, I will be much better at doing, as opposed to merely listening.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
It is through God’s power and God’s promises that the “it’s all about me” attitude is conquered.
May it be so.
In Christ –
John