Choose God’s Views
If you and I say or think, “Ahhh, that makes sense. That is very nice,” but do nothing about it what good is derived. We have seen what this verse really means, but if we do not move to the point of personal growth nothing is gained. Worse we may be anesthetized to its lessons.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:22-25–NIV)
God targets you inner being. It is important that we get alone with God, with his word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He will teach of what this means for you as he does for me. In this manner God converts the “Ahhh, I see,” to “Ahhh, I live.”
Do not figure that that “Ahhh, I see” is tantamount to instant maturity. Maturity is almost never instant, but requires a steadfast approach. God’s words may be ready made, but like oil paints take a long time to dry.
“Ahhh, I see” is much more likely to be at the head of a long process. Often appended to the recognition is the testing which solidifies it. If you have ever mixed up the glue called epoxy you know it is comprised of two elements: resin and the hardener. Your understanding can be conceived as recognition of God’s truth. Your life experiences (unfortunatey usually some type of trouble or suffering) can be conceived of as the hardener. The final, solid epoxy resin that holds things together can be taken as maturity.
Isn’t it interesting in this example that the sufferings can be correlated with the hardener? One last vantage point on this is the difference God makes in the hardening. Life without God tends to harden in unhealthy directions. Life with God hardens into strength (as Paul says in verse 16) and resilience. The unhealthy direction is much more prone to fracture under future stress. The healthy will flex with it.
Maybe you like construction analogies. Since we have already spoken of epoxy let us pick up roofers caulk. When it first comes from the industrial tube it is immature. It is moldable and flows and very sticky. When it cures, that is, comes to maturity, it is pliable and can adjust with the heat and cold. That is the hardness God settles our lives into. The rigid, cracking, old caulk is what happens when we harden without God. So, as Joshua put it, “Choose you this day,” how you will look at your life and circumstances.
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