James, a little book of wisdom: less talk, more action

Today’s wisdom:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 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.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1:22-27

Random musings:

This is something I’ve been challenging myself about for a long time now. Because I communicate a lot – through talking and writing – I sometimes worry that I am all talk and no action. My husband and I have been ‘supporting’ fair trade and ethical consumerism and green living for over thirty years but there has been far more talk than action, I fear. 

This passage is clear. Listening is not enough. Hearing the truth and doing nothing about it is a waste of time. Discussing the right way to live in this world and then not putting it into practice is a waste of time. For me, I’m done with talking so much. I need to put more energy into living God’s way.

The only way that God’s way and truth and life will take root in our lives is if we act on it. If we listen to a sermon on a Sunday, even if we find it good and inspiring at the time, if we do not go away and apply it to our lives, we’ll have forgotten all about it by the time the next Sunday comes around. And if that’s the case, why bother listening to it in the first place?

And what does it look like to put our faith into practice? Well, for a start, it means that every single word we say matters. How we use our words matters: all those words we speak in our heads, in conversation or in a Facebook comment or text. In ‘The Four Agreements’, a profound spiritual text with inspiring practical application, author Don Miguel Ruiz presents this as the first of the four agreements –

Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

This is what James is saying here too.

And then there’s this – ‘look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world.’ Could religion be any more practical? What does this look like for me today? Who can I provide for/support in their distress today? How can I keep myself aligned with God’s way of thinking and being rather than the world’s?

My question for you:

How are you being called to put your faith into practice today?