King James Bible
"For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:"
James contrasts passive listening with active obedience, emphasizing that merely receiving God's word without applying it is spiritually futile. This echoes Jesus' teaching about building on rock versus sand, establishing that authentic faith requires transformation through action. The mirror metaphor illustrates someone who sees their true condition but takes no corrective action. In the first-century context, mirrors were polished metal surfaces that revealed imperfections—just as God's word exposes spiritual needs that demand response, not mere acknowledgment.