Doing God’s Word

I have little motto that works for me. It isn’t profound, but if taken seriously is effective. “The way to get something done is to do it.” This past Christmas eve morning I practiced my motto, beginning about 4 AM. We had a closet that needed to be cleaned out, straightened, and organized. I’m sure no one else has a closet like this, but we did. Now this was Christmas eve and we had family coming that night, but I remembered my motto – “The way to get something done is to do it.”

So … I began emptying the closet into the den – on the furniture, counter, and floor. I started putting like stuff together. I had a pile of this and a box or two of that. By the time my wife Susan got up a couple of hours later – at people’s more normal time to get up – I had the closet emptied, a trash pile started, and I had made a trip to buy containers for more organized storage. I should tell you that Susan’s first reaction was not one of “joy and peace” on Christmas eve morning. But, she quickly sized up the situation, figured there was little she could do but help, and joined with me in the project. By 8 AM, we had the contents of the closet sorted, organized, and back in place. My plan and ploy worked; my motto proved to be right one more time.

But this motto is much better and more important when it comes to the word of God – “The way to do God’s word is to do it.” We can think about it, talk about it, plan on it, analyze it, discuss it, disagree with it, make a list OR we can hear what God says and do it. Jesus says the person who does this builds his life on a solid foundation (Luke 6:46-48). James describes this person as “an effectual doer” who “will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). Don’t you think these are pretty good reasons to make this the motto of your life before God?