Outposts

I am going to be writing a blog twice per month for JH Ranch/Outback called Outposts. I have started working on the series for Year 1 and we will start publishing them in the next month or so. The Outposts will be about common JH topics along with different spiritual growth tracks. It’s a big undertaking but I am excited about doing it. In our family blog for the next few months, I’ll be giving you a sneak preview of what will be coming up in Outposts. Sorry for the redundancy from some of my prior blogs but this will keep me from having to write 2 separate ones while I am working on Year 1. Here we go…

I heard and I forgot, I saw and I remembered, I did and I understood.

This may be the most memorable of all the sayings from JH Ranch. Where else would we go but the book of James for a scripture reference to capture the meaning of this phrase?

James 1:22-25 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

“Hearer” - I heard and I forgot: Hearing God’s Word is vitally important. We need to hear the Word of God taught to us by those devoted to understand and teach it properly. Hearing is a key part of our weekly worship and we need a steady diet of this solid food to grow spiritually. However, hearing alone won’t transform our lives the way God intends. We might forget. This passage teaches that we “deceive ourselves” if we think otherwise.

“Seer” – I saw and I remembered: Seeing the love of Christ displayed by others is powerful. We have all been impacted observing others extend forgiveness, mercy and generosity. We have even been blessed to be a beneficiary of these Christlike acts. They impact us in such a way that we remember them and are inspired to go and do the same. Seeing is memorable.

“Doer” – I did and I understood: This is the life God is calling us to – the life of a doer. Once we hear His truths and see His goodness, we will apply His Word in our own life. The “doing” is the evidence of the truths we have heard and seen. Doing sinks roots in our hearts to change us into the image of Christ. Jesus is a doer of God’s Word and we are called to imitate Him.  

As followers of Christ, we each have a unique calling. He gifts us to play specific roles in loving and serving others in His Kingdom work. As the hands and feet of Christ, our job is to find our gifts and learn how to use them for God’s glory. The “doing” is the true richness of life.  

Hearing is educational – Seeing is inspirational – Doing is transformational

What can you do today to display your love for God and others of what we have heard and seen?

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6