Are you a forgetful listener or a doer? How often do we hear the Word of God in church and you know the pastor is preaching just for you, but you don’t do anything about it?

Some time ago I listened to an excellent sermon. It was about that one thing that you have to put right. Just that one. I knew the Lord was talking to me. I even discussed it with my friend afterwards.

The message meant so much to me. But that one thing is still part of my life. So, I’m not totally a forgetful listener, but I haven’t gotten to the doing part yet.

We have to start doing. We have to go and live Jesus to the people out there. We have to go and live His smile out there. Even if it is the only thing you’re going to do right now, go and smile at the world.

I received this email from Diekie:

A pastor had been serving in a church for 12 years. During the morning service on Sundays, before starting his sermon, he used to call the children to the front so that they could go to their own special children’s church.

The children would walk past the pulpit and he would make a point of smiling at each of them. In turn, they smiled back at him. For him, this was one of the highlights of the service.

One day, he apparently missed one child in the crowd and did not smile at her. The little girl ran back to her mom in tears, crying as if her heart was breaking.

After the service the pastor went to find out what had happened. The mom repeated her daughter’s words: ‘I smiled at God, but he didn’t smile back!’. The pastor reflected on this: ‘For that child, I represented God. I failed with my smile and her world turned dark.’

²⁵… That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.

It is God’s will that we will be Jesus for the people around us. It is God’s will that we will hear and then do. When we hear His words for us, when we go to church, when we read something and know this was intended for me, we have to go and do it.

Don’t be a forgetful listener. Do, and the world around you will change.

Even if it is only a smile …

Scripture
James 1:22-27

Reflection
Do you hear?
Do you forget?
Or do you do?

Prayer
Our Father, how big Your smile is! What an impact it can have in our world! I know it! I hear it. Let me not hear and forget, but indeed hear and smile. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.