Let's Be Real

As I was playing catch up on the Daily Audio Bible podcast today, this snippet from James felt as though it was meant for me. You see, I've been struggling with swearing at certain times of the work week when things fall apart, gossiping about "office politics" and finding myself repenting to the Lord for the shameful way I've conducted myself. I know better. An outsider might not even see any differences between me and any other worldly person.

My light doesn't seem to be shining very brightly lately.

In the past, I've worked very hard to try and maintain an image of holiness. Don't swear, don't speak ill of others, don't do this and don't do that. It was a real effort to try and fix the outer man, hoping that the inner man would follow suit. While keeping yourself in check and holding thoughts captive is desirable, presenting a facade is not. God sees right through our faux-visage.

He instructs us to be authentic and holy inside, not religious. I'm feeling totally convicted.

James 1:19-27 (The Message)

Act on What You Hear

19-21Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

22-24Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.

25But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.

26-27Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

Good Night