“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;… But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”
-James 1: 19 & 22

This is some sage advice.  I wish I was better at taking advice.  The whole passage from James is one that directs on how to live, and I think how to live a good life worthy of God who loves us.  How many times in just this past week have I jumped in before someone could even finish a thought to either defend myself, offer an excuse, or suggest something different.  I wonder what it is that I’m missing when I don’t actually take the time to hear what others are saying and am only getting ready for the next thing that I want to say?  What do we miss in doing that? 

These verses also steer me, to the idea of not just listening, but actually doing.  What does it look like to be a doer of the word?  Really, if we hear the good word, but we have no accompanying action how are we living out the gospel truth.  For the next several weeks we are going to listen to the sermon series “faith that works” and examine how our faith drives our daily lives.  Where are the places that we need to listen more closely, speak with intentionality and thought, and live the gospel in both word and action.  I hope that you too will dive into the book of James with us and we all seek to deepen our faith together.

-Pastor Carrie

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