There is a song I learned in children’s choir that often echoes through my mind. “Do, do, do what the Bible says. Don’t, don’t, don’t just listen, no!” What a simple concept! Just obey. Don’t just listen and hear God’s words, but act on God’s word. That was a fun and catchy song to sing through my elementary years. But at the time I learned that song, I could never have imagined how difficult it would be to live out those words.
Those of us who grew up in faithful Christian homes heard those and many other wise words. But what I have realized in the past few years is that hearing and doing are two totally different things. Many people hear the truth. Many people even acknowledge Jesus died for sinners yet show no willingness to turn from sin. However, through discipleship, I have learned that we must be doers of the Word, not merely hearers of the Word. When you are a “doer” of the Word, your decisions can be tough. Your decisions can be unpopular. Your decisions can bring ridicule. However, my identity as a follower of Jesus Christ has given me the courage and freedom to choose wisely. I have learned I must have a Christian world and life view, where the anxieties of current events are seen through the lens of God’s sovereignty. I have learned that cultural affirmation is fleeting and rarely based on truth. I have learned that instant gratification, while instant, is not fulfilling. I have learned that truth is only true is if is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. While Christianity impacts me in many ways, the biggest impact my Christian faith has had on the decisions I’ve made during my high school career has been providing me the ability to look beyond myself and my current situation and trust in God’s wise and perfect plan in my life. Romans 8:28 tells us “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose”. It’s not easy to be a doer of the Word. But I know I have been called for a specific purpose. And God’s purpose for me begins and ends with me following him, obeying him, and not just being a hearer of the Word, but being a doer of the Word.
