Over the years, I’ve had to learn to extend some grace to myself. Even though I’ve preached thousands of sermons, I still have nervous energy when standing before my brothers and sisters in Christ teaching the scriptures. It isn’t from a lack of knowledge about the subject material or a lack of confidence in my abilities. But in the back of my mind, I am constantly asking myself, “How can I say this in a way that will have the most impact?”
Don’t get me wrong, I fully realize that there are always things that I need to do better. But I have also learned that no matter how well the lesson might be presented, there is never a guarantee of expected results. It’s a hard pill to swallow for someone who lives somewhere between self-evaluation and self-criticism.
While it is a source of frustration for me at times, it should be a source of concern for everyone interested in spiritual growth. It is entirely possible to sit through years of Bible classes and sermons, take notes and underline verses, and leave completely unchanged. We may wonder how this is possible, but James describes it as a reality. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For 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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (1:22-24).
Information and transformation are not the same thing. It is easier to study concepts like forgiveness and generosity than it is to apply them. What good does it do if you have the world’s best recipe of panang curry, but you never cook it? My wife would think that is a lot of wasted potential! What would you say about someone who had been given the information about godly living but never put it into practice?
So what is the point of all of this? We should have a firm commitment to obedience. As we understand what God wants and expects from us, we should allow that to shape our attitude and actions. Obedience by its nature humbles us. It reminds us that our ways are not always the best.
The knowledge that God has provided for us has not fulfilled its purpose until it makes its way from our ears to our hearts, and then to our hands and feet.
– John Pippin
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