Man in the Mirror
James 1:22-25
Question: Do you remember what you look like?
During the month of November I start growing a beard. It is that time of year where the infamous "No Shave November" starts. For me, I usually keep the beard through the winter months. I guess you could say that it makes me feel more primal, more in touch with nature. I digress…But the funny thing is that sometimes I forget that I have a beard until I look in the mirror.
You are probably thinking to yourself, how does a grown man forget that he has a beard? Well, remember that usually about nine months out of the year I do not have one. Due to no consistency in my beard, I forget that I have one from time to time.
James 1:22-25: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
See that is the problem, I don’t have it consistently in my life. The Word of God and application works in the same way. If there is no devotion to the Word and then no application, we can easily forget what God desires out of us.
Daily Application
We can look at Jesus and the disciples for context. He told them that the way the world will know we belong to him is by how we love one another and by the work that we do. To be a Christian is not to be saved by works, but it is by faith that our works shine through. It is not enough to just listen to a message, read a small devotion, or listen to a podcast. If we truly desire to live a life that is pleasing before God, it requires obedience more so than sacrifice. This means to apply the Word of God. Love others, show mercy, give generously, forgive, pray continuously, serve others, and so forth.
Observation
Another practical part of Word application is observing the context of the passage in the past bridging the gap to how it applies to us in the present time. Joshua and other anointed leaders were encouraged to meditate on the Word and seek discernment. One of my favorite pastimes is to people watch. (Yes, I know this makes me seem creepy.) You can learn a lot about a person by watching his body language and mannerisms. You can see who is full of themselves, who is humble, a little odd, happy, frustrated, or distressed. However, these are just basic observations. If you just read the Word of God without deep observation, your study is superficial. Superficial is fading and temporary. I encourage you today to really spend time observing the Word as if you are looking at every little mole, blemish, pimple, or freckle on your own face.
Memory
Jesus told his disciples that it was good for Him to leave them so that God could send them an Advocate, a Helper. One of the purposes of the Holy Spirit is to continuously remind and point us back to the God’s Word and its proper application. I call it the Jiminy Cricket of our spiritual life. As a youth pastor, I asked my students to recall the times in which they could hear their parents’ voice in their head encouraging them to do or not do something. This is the Holy Spirit in all things. The Holy Spirit is the gentle whisper that will always point us back to the Word of God to convict and direct us into proper application and service towards others.
Reading the Word of God can be hard with the application of it being more difficult. If we want to be pleasing in the sight of God then we must learn to actively apply it in our lives. We must love mercy, act justly, and give generously. We must become a reflection of Christ and live according to His example. The man in the mirror you see should start looking a little more like Jesus and little less like you. (Thanks, Zach Williams)
Blessings,
Nick Engleman
If you have questions about this devotional, or have questions about starting a life with Jesus, please feel free to contact me at 417-808-1049, or nengleman902@gmail.com.
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