Auditing the Class (James 1:22-24)

In the ESV

DeWayne switched to the ESV for this one because of its wording: "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

The auditor

The Greek word for "hearer" brings to mind someone auditing a college course. They show up, enjoy the lectures, and have no homework, no tests, and no accountability. That's easy to do with Sunday mornings.

The mirror

James' man doesn't glance at the mirror. He studies it, then walks away and forgets. You can have every commentary and devotional and still leave it all on the page. The problem is the leaving.

The ledger

DeWayne's accounting picture: attendance on one side, obedience on the other. If one column is full and the other is empty, you're only fooling yourself.

A habit worth restarting

He and his wife used to ask each other after church, "What did you get out of the message?" Talking about it moved it from their ears into their lives. Prepping this devotional made him realize they'd stopped.

Try this

• After your next sermon, ask someone what they took from it, and share yours.
• Pick one thing you've heard this month and do it this week.