“23For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets what he looked like.” (Amplified Bible)
Hey. So I spent years being confused by this verse section in the book of James. I think it’s partly because I have brain damage and forget things easily. But also because, before transition, I spent YEARS trying to forget what I looked like. It never felt right. I couldn’t reconcile this “girl” I saw with the way I felt inside.
It came up again in Bible study tonight. Afterwards I went online and looked for some kind of commentary or explanation. TIL that it was supposed to be an ABSURD argument. No way would someone actually WANT to forget what they looked like. Here’s the source:
https://www.bibleref.com/James/1/James-1-23.html
I still couldn’t break it out in any way. So I took it to the Trans Christianity subreddit to ask around. And got help that solved 2 DECADES of Scripture block from user Jazehiah . Here’s what she had to add:
“Let’s add verses 22 and 25 for an even clearer picture.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
– James 1:22-25 NIV
Let me give another analogy: You check the time on your phone. Moments later, someone asks you what time it is. If you need to look at your phone again to tell them the time, you didn’t pay much attention to the clock when you last checked it.
If we extend the metaphor further, let’s imagine the person also arrived late, despite checking the time, because they forgot what time it was. If they had paid attention, they would have been on time. They had all the information they needed to be on time, but still ended up late.
That is the kind of thing James is warning us against: Having all of the information we need, but not making good use of it.
Verse 22 is the instruction: “Don’t just listen to the word. Do what it says.”
The rest of the passage is an explanation for why we should do what it says.
Don’t just listen to the sermon. Put it into practice.
Don’t just check the clock, be on time.
I hope that helps.”
My mind is blown. This is the best explanation of this section of Scripture I’ve ever gotten.
That is the kind of thing James is warning us against: Having all of the information we need, but not making good use of it.
Verse 22 is the instruction: “Don’t just listen to the word. Do what it says.”
The rest of the passage is an explanation for why we should do what it says.
Amen
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