Final answer:
James likens those who hear the word but do not act on it to someone who looks in a mirror and then forgets their appearance, stressing the importance of applying religious teachings in one's life.
Step-by-step explanation:
James describes those who are hearers of the word and not doers as being like individuals who look at their own face in a mirror and immediately forget what they look like after walking away. This metaphor from the Book of James in the Christian New Testament highlights the importance of not only listening to religious teachings but also acting upon them.
It suggests that without action, hearing the word is as fleeting as a glance in the mirror. Those who are just hearers and not doers of the word fail to genuinely integrate the teachings into their lives, thereby missing out on the transformative power of the religious texts.