Throughout the book of James, the author is straightforward and gets to his point without any fluff. He doesn’t mince words and clearly wants his audience to have no room to misunderstand his message.

James 1:22 is a perfect example of his directness. In one sentence the author admonishes his listeners to not just sit idly by and listen to the gospel but to live their lives as a reflection of Jesus Christ. He ends the sentence with the consequences of being hearers only, self-deceit.

Like so many passages in James, this one pierced my heart. I realize that sometimes I get complacent and am satisfied with just showing up on Sunday mornings for church. However, James challenges me to be more than a member of a congregation. I am called to be so connected to the Lord that when others see or hear me, they see a glimpse of Jesus. That’s a tall order and I’m not always successful.

My pastor recently asked our congregation, “If someone followed you around with a camera for a week, what would the video include?” I have to ask myself a second question, “Would I want the unedited version of that video posted to social media?” Most days I’d say, “yes,” but some days not so much.

Who I am Monday-Saturday is important. Daily renewal, prayer, being diligent to think before I speak, and to capture my thoughts keeps strengthens me and helps me be a doer of the word.

FaithInTheFog #traumarecovery #dailyinspiration