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ESV
James 1:19-27
19Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Reflections
What are the possible hindrances and dangers which may prevent God’s word from taking root and bearing fruits in our lives?
• Our unrighteous anger;
• Not putting away sinful deeds and thoughts in our lives;
• Not receiving humbly God’s word - spiritual pride;
• Being hearer and not doers of God’s word – deceiving ourselves;
• Forgetting who we were without Christ – look into the mirror/word and walk away without being effected by it;
• Does not control what we say- gossip, slander and lies.

Meekness is not inactivity.

Jame’s illustration of “Mirror, mirror on the wall” teaches us that we must not fool ourselves by just being hearers and not obeying God’s word that is implanted in our hearts. It will be like looking into the mirror and walked away forgetting what we look like. Else where it is written: "Like a dog who returns to its vomit!" Yuk! Yet that is precisely what we often do - letting sin take control of our lives. Sigh!
God blesses those who humbly accept His word and are doers of His word – the implanted word that has the power to set us free and save our souls.

The control of our tongues is so crucial that James said that without it, our religion is worthless.

We must be champions for the orphans, widows and I trust it includes those who can’t speak for themselves, like people with special needs. It is a command to take care of them without ulterior motives.

James teaches us to refuse letting the worldly (that which is anti God) thinking and attitude corrupt us. Remember the phrase: "Be in the world but not of the world." In Jesus’ words “be the light of the world and the salt of the earth” –be different!

Hearing God's word alone without doing it is self deceiving: James exalts us to put away sinful deeds and thoughts and to receive God's word in humility. The 'putting away' and the recieving must go hand in hand; don't get angry; control our tongues and take care of orphans and widows and the defenceless.