Day 1 – Head Full; Hand Empty

Bible Reading : James 1

I wonder what kind of student you were in school. 

You know, there were some subjects that had practicals as part of the subject content. The expectation was that students shouldn’t just know, they should do. And that’s exactly where the problem lay for some students- they would score so well in the theory, but would fail the practicals.

You would really expect that a student that knew the theory would easily do what he knew, but that wasn’t always the case. You would see Food and Nutrition students that could write out all the processes of cooking and analyse perfectly all the nutritional components of food, but couldn’t actually cook a simple meal to save their lives.

James is well aware of this. 

The Book of James is largely an invitation to do. God doesn’t want people that are just head full, but are hand empty. He doesn’t want sons and daughters that just ‘make mouth’ all over the place, He wants people that practically live out the full of what they know.

Over the next few days as we study the book of James, you’re going to find him to somewhat be your practical teacher.

‘But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves’, he writes (1:22 NKJV). 

I honestly never want to be self deceiving. I want to live in the full expectation that God has for my life.

What needs to travel the journey from your head to your hands this month? What do you know that you want to hold yourself more consciously to doing this new month?

You know that God asks you to be thankful in every situation (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Have you actually consciously been doing this? Have you been thankful in everything?
You know that God says you should ask for wisdom whenever you need it. (James 1:5) Have you been doing that or just complaining whenever you face situations that you don’t have the wisdom for?
Have you been forgiving freely those that offend you? (Matthew 5:44, Matthew 6:44)
Have you been giving honour to those who it is due? (Romans 13:7)
Have you been living generously? (Proverbs 11:24)
Can you be more kind? (Galatians 5:22)  

We could go on and on with a list of things that we know, but maybe aren’t just necessarily doing to the full extent that we should.

Let’s take up a challenge. Decide two things that you know and you want to more consciously do better with this month. List them in the comments section.  I’ll be praying together with you on them. Let’s believe that we’ll move some more from head to hand.

It’s a handful and fruitful month ahead of us!