For many a habit is an unconscious twitch that has been developed over time by a conscious repetition of the twitch. It always makes me laugh when someone wonders why a habit takes so long to break (Insert me laughing at myself for the days were I wonder why I can’t stop using hand motions when I talk) But sometimes habits are destructive, destroying our lives because they mutate into addictions. And for some they never truly get over that, its always around the corner haunting them. Others are struggling to get out of it. I was reading a book the other day and it talked about Eph. 4:28 (if you want to read it look up) It brought up an interesting point about the verse and about what Paul says. He simply does not say stop sinning you idiot its killing you! Instead he says hey, all you all who like to sin guess what stop it but you just don’t stop it. Do something in the time that you use to sin and do the action that harmed you and your relationship with God, that helps others. Do something that brings glory to God while you are getting over this so that you can show people how good God is.
I think Paul pointed out something about human beings in this one verse. We tend to get fixated on something and we go after it with this ferocity that surprises ourselves sometimes. But Paul is saying to take that energy where we were killing ourselves (because literary or emotionally or spiritually or in a mix of the two sin does that to us…figured you would want to know) and put it towards good to something that will glorify God. But there’s also something practical in that order besides doing something for God (because we as human beings, I’ve discovered need a little bit of prodding on the earthly to make something happen most of the time) in this statement. When you do one thing, you focus on it. You block out all the rest of the world (sometimes) in an effort to get it done. So when Paul says stop stealing and do something useful, it’s a way to keep you distracted until a new better habit forms.
So what does all this mean? It means be a blessing. Do something good. And guess what you don’t have to go half way around the world to do that. When I was talking with my small group about this verse I said I wanted God to place me in a place where I can serve. A dear friend of mine pointed out that I can be a blessing around me and I need to focus on that as well. I practically lived that out tonight as I made brownies for our group but only a handful of us showed. We were sitting in a coffee shop and I shared the brownies with three other people there (two of which were the baristas who made me a very nice mint tea) It felt great to watch their smiles as they enjoyed the brownies (Also it helped me feel like I can actually cook… XD) I hope…no pray that I have more opportunities like that soon. But the thing is if you try to bless others without God in your life, I’m not going to say its not going to work but I doubt it will be as effective. If you are going to do something to bless others remember like a lamp that isn’t plugged in, you can’t do it well without God flowing through you ( a semi-direct quote from that dear friend of mine).
So my reader here is something to ponder while you either close this or comment on the words that I have written (I encourage the second option more than the first)
1) How can you bless others? What do you do that makes people feel refreshed and happy?
2) Are you willing to be that blessing to the part of the world that God has placed you in?
No comments:
Post a Comment