Scripture for Today: James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Who does not enjoy watching these cute cuddly-looking pandas!  They can look especially adorable when romping around playing.  But more likely, they are seen doing what they spend the majority of their day doing; eating!  They eat 30-45 pounds of bamboo per day.  Their back molars are very strong for tearing this fibrous plant.  And they even have a sixth digit for holding those long stalks.  But because the bamboo is low in nutrition and pandas digest a very low percentage of what they eat, they must consume huge quantities.  They are constantly eating.

Today’s verse talks about two ways one can feed on God’s Word.  One can merely listen to it and be deceived into thinking that is sufficient.  Or one can not only listen to God’s Word but actually apply it and put it into practice.  In obeying God’s Word, there is change, growth and good spiritual health.  However, merely listening is much easier to do.  There can be momentary feel-good reactions to a poetic passage or a challenging story of faith.  But it is when we respond to His commands with submission and obedience that we truly grow.

I can get quite prideful about how well I know Scripture.  I can recite verses with the best of them.  But large quantities of head knowledge is not what makes for true heart change.  It is only in doing what God’s Word says that I can grow and become what He wants me to be.  It really is not how much I know or how much I listen to that makes a difference.  The difference lies in how much I do what it says!

Lord, don’t let me be deceived.  Show me where I need to obey.