"everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man…" Matthew 7:24
We are instinctually drawn to follow the people we appreciate. We follow the creator or influencer on Instagram. We watch content on YouTube from brilliant people we admire. We enjoy watching an athlete and tuning in when their team is playing. A certain movie artist intrigues us, or we resonate with the policies and talking points of particular politicians.
Similarly, many people say they are a follower of Jesus, which means they should be drawn to "tune in" to him. His followers will find themselves time and time again, coming back to his words, like bees to flowers and bears to honey. Prioritizing his voice and his truth over and against other competing voices is the first step to being a follower. It is essential to put ourselves into a position to "hear" his words.
Yet, Jesus himself reminds us it's not enough just to be intrigued or inspired or to satisfy our appetites with the sounds of his words. It's more than just "tuning in." His words provide not only comfort or clarity but also discomfort and disruption. They force us to apply and change. After all, what good is reading a recipe if you don't actually follow the directions? You won't end up with the tasty meal. Jesus reminds us that his followers "practice" what they hear. Practice. That slow, painstaking, tedious, clumsy process of growing better with diligent attention and execution.
His followers are not perfect and will never reach perfection. Nevertheless, they practice. French philosopher Jacques Ellul in his book The Subversion of Christianity, summarizes it, "True believers are those who hear and practice what they hear." It is in the practice that we demonstrate the character of God to the watching world. It is in the practice that our bodies and our habits participate in what is right, true, and good. And finally, after a process of practice, our hearts and minds begin to perfect and enjoy the good results of good deeds.
God wants your heart. The way we are united with God in thought and practice, John says, is through obedience, "But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him" (1 John 2:5). Practice is the doorway to deeper intimacy, and God wants you to know his incredible love and goodness for yourself.
Tags: love, listen, goodness, obedience, influence, hear, good, practice, good deeds, inspire, habit
