An old-school way of preparing for public speaking is to practice in front of a mirror. In my teens, though I did not have a master plan for getting a job as a presenter, I spent a lot of time in front of the mirror making faces and trying out funny accents. Now that I work as a pastor, I need to be careful when making faces at my audience… but it is still fun.

My church was starting a series on the book of James, so I sat down with a Bible and a guitar to see what came out. Verses 22-25 of the first chapter struck me first. Hearing God’s Word but not obeying it is like looking in a mirror but not paying attention to what you look like… I have definitely had times when I read the Bible without truly paying any attention or intending to act on it. But the verses give the other option of hearing God’s Word and obeying it, which is like looking intently into the mirror. That is what gets blessed.

So I looked intently through the rest of the book of James, considering the themes of caring for the vulnerable, watching what we say, drawing near to God, and more. Spend time in front of the mirror of God’s Word. Put it in your head and heart, then put it into practice so often that it becomes praxis.

Matthew Lunders 

Singer/Songwriter