Keep Oneself From Being Polluted By
The World
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers
and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the
Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He
chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
My dear brothers and sisters, take
note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to
become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God
desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so
prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and
so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does
not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and,
after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
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.
Those who
consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues
deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our
Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows
in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James
1:16-27
Look into the mirror and what do you see? Is your hair
out of place, is your face washed, is your shirt properly buttoned? Like a
mirror, the Bible helps us to examine our character, attitude, thoughts, and
behavior.
When we look attentively into “the perfect law that
vies freedom” and apply it to our lives, we will be blessed in what do. As we look into the mirror of Scripture, we can “humbly accept the
word planted in (us).”
As
a mirror reflects our image, the Bible reveals our inner being.
Our
Daily Bread – December 16, 2018