Tree of Life Day 83: James 1-5

James is such an easy book to read in some ways.  And in other ways, it's brutal.

Consider...

Don't be a hearer of the Word only, be a doer (1.22).

Is that easy to read?  You bet.  Is it easy to understand?  Sure.  Is it easy to implement in my life?  Well, that's a different question, isn't it?

He goes on to say that when we're hearers only and not doers, we deceive ourselves.  We think that we're growing spiritually, but we're not.  We think that we're doing the right thing, but we're not.  We think that God is pleased, but He's not.  We think we're being upright, but we're not.  We think that podcasting sermons is helping our spiritual growth, but when we don't apply them it's not.  We think that reading theology is good, but unapplied it's not.  On and on James could go with illustrations and challenges.

God, through James, is clear:  our spiritual maturity shows up not in our intake but in our output.

Easy.  And hard.  So hard.