The Time to Do is Now (How Not to be Hearers Only)

By Robert Lane

In developed countries, we’re often told to give our money to those in need; I believe we should. There’s much good you can do in funding disaster relief, social justice, and the promotion of equality throughout the world…but there’s more, by God, there’s so much more!

Brothers, don’t miss out.

Sisters, don’t let anyone stop you.

Most of you have blue passports, excellent educations, a protective government, and the ability to travel to nearly every country in the world. Have you ever asked, “Why?”

I’m writing this as I study through the book of James, a dangerous thing. The last time I studied through this book was in 2003. The year my life changed. The year I pressed myself into the wound.

What more do we have but these few pitiful years to give?

I have given food to hungry people, but there’s more to a person than their stomach. The starvation of a child’s soul is the greatest injustice upon this planet.

What can you D0?

What can you do to make the Gospel more accessible to billions of unreached people? I’m not going to give you a website. I’m asking you to pray.

Pray, Hear, and Do. Go on a mission trip, visit refugees in your city, or study abroad. Lay all of YOU on the table and ask GOD what He wants, then, see where it goes. You have everything to lose, but your salvation.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – James 1:22

The Word will always be with us. I will enter into an eternity of worship and give myself to infinite hearing of the Word.

There are no lost people in Heaven. In the Church’s eternity, we will all be healthy and clothed. All of us will enjoy our salvation without end. We will have the Word with us forever. Many will not.

I’ve seen their faces and know where to find them. They are lost because their fathers chose to leave the Truth. The Truth we all had when Noah got off the boat.

If you are to love the lost; if you seek to bring a sinner back from their wandering, the time is now. Only this current existence gives us access to sinners. Here are the wars. Here you will find sickness. Here is starvation. Here is suffering.

Do not deceive yourselves into hearing only, there will be plenty of time for that.

Robert (Bobby) Lane is a long-time SWO staff member who now serves as a church planter and missionary in N’Djamena, Chad (Africa). He’s now spent over a decade serving with the IMB (International Missions Board). He specializes in linguistics and training indigenous pastors to faithfully plant and shepherd new churches.

This article was originally published in May 2015 on Robert’s personal blog, The Time to Do is Now.