James writes: ‘Prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has… gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law… and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.’ (James 1:22–25 ^NASB)

In this Scripture the word man comes from the Greek word for male. Why is that significant? Because there’s a difference in how men and women use a mirror. Men generally glance in it just long enough to get the basics done; whereas, women are usually so intent on knowing how they look that they carry a mirror in their bag and check their looks regularly throughout the day.

But don’t miss the point. It’s not about the difference in how men and women utilise mirrors. No, it’s about the difference between spending a few hurried moments in the Scripture before rushing out into your day, instead of meditating on it until it renews your mind and shapes your character into the likeness of Jesus. As you read the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit holds a mirror up in front of you so that you can make whatever adjustments are necessary.

Note the words, ‘Whoever looks intently…and continues in it… will be blessed.’ (James 1:25 ^NIV) It’s a two-way street. To walk in God’s blessing, you need to take care of the ‘doing’, and He will take care of the ‘blessing’.