"But 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
looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of
person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of
liberty, 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

Years ago before I had need for Braille and other blindness skills, I knew
I would eventually have need for them and so sought out a proper training
facility. I had gone to visit a facility in my state, spent a week in
evaluation. I didn't really get much out of the first week, and
so   ignored the definition of insanity, that is, doing the same thing
over and expecting different results. I had stayed on an additional week
to see if that facility had any warm and fuzzies to come out of it as
blindness training is concerned. It didn't. I then visited a facility in a
neighboring state, one in which blind folks ran and taught along side some
sighted teachers, and equality and motivation were a mainstay. I knew this
was the place I needed. So I had tried to get my state to rehab me in the
neighboring state as their facility was subordinate to the one I truly
felt would help me. After much talks with counselors, meeting with a
supervisor, meeting with the supervisor's supervisor to appeal and finally
an administrative review. I did lose the battle and they would not help me
rehab via this training facility which had a reputation of being "boot
camp" for blind folks. I was really jazzed about the idea of going there
and so I left my wife and kids and took residency in the neighboring state
to achieve this training. One thing that motivated me was during the
meeting with the counselor's supervisor's supervisor, he sat across from
me and told me I didn't need Braille as I could yet read print. Obviously
this man was a  few brain cells short to think I wouldn't eventually need
Braille with my deteriorating retina disease. What stood out to me so
arrogantly, and motivated me all the more is he told me I didn't need it
because "if you don't use it, you'll lose it". I very much despised this
man because he was very arrogant and I was told he called himself "Rod,
the rehab god". Hmmm, I'd rather be me anyway. Despite my dislike for him,
he spoke a principle that is very true and in which has motivated me to
keep up on  my Braille over the years even though I do not use it for
leisure reading, I do use it in my business and casual reading. The
principle of "if you don't use it,  you'll lose it" is not an idea coined
or created by this man but can be seen in the above scripture. We're told
that if we  only hear the Word, and do not use it or put it to
practical  daily use, we forget what kind of a man we are. In other words
by simple daily application of the Word, the precepts are engrained in us
so we have no choice but to know who we are in Christ. Can you think of
something you haven't done in years? Play an instrument, a song? Knit,
crochet, work out a mathematical equation? For me it is spelling. I use to
be a great speller but spell checkers and the speech have spoiled me so
that I have need to actually think about how to spell certain words. I
also use to sit and play some finger picking songs on the guitar while
watching TV. I figured I'd never forget them because I played them over
and over and over and over and over while watching TV at night. Today I
can't even remember how they start. Back then I didn't even need to think
about them while totally engrossed in a TV program while playing them. I
can imagine this rehab person telling me that I don't need   the Word
because if I don't use it I'll lose it, and he'd be right. Along with
putting faith to work is continually seeking to learn more. The word says
to gain knowledge, acquire wisdom and in the acquiring get understanding.
We don't stop seeking, reading, learning and doing just because we became
a Christian, at least I hope that is not the case. But we do run across
times in our life when we stagnate, become complacent in life, or too
busy. All of which is a poor excuse to forget the Word of God and in truth
is all the more reason to dig deeper. This is something I have realized
recently in my own life and digging in, sure is refreshing and a breath of
peace no Life Savor flavor can match in freshness. If you are finding
yourself to be too busy, too caught up in other activities, too
complacent, or just unmotivated, do yourself a favor and crack open the
Word, look up, ask God for a new fresh desire for his Word, mean it, and
begin reading. You, and those around you will be glad you did.

Brad