Weasel Words
Dan Kunz
Shortly after dinosaurs stopped roaming the earth, I taught 9th grade English (among other things). It was a general English course, so we looked at all kinds of English-related topics, including “weasel words”. According to the Internet, source of all knowledge, weasel words are ones which are intentionally ambiguous or misleading. Words such as “may”, “might”, “could”, “can”, “virtually”, and “help” are examples. Advertising is especially known for using weasel words. “XYZ detergent will help get your clothes cleaner and brighter!” Will it get them clean, or will it only help get them clean? “The law firm of Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe can get you the settlement you deserve!” They can, but will they? Senator Slippery is quoted as saying, “We’ve done virtually everything we can to solve the crisis.” Have you done everything, or virtually everything? The examples from everyday life are endless.
One of my favorite weasel words is the word “if”. I like to tease my grandkids when they use that word. I’m not sure where I got the expression, but I’ll respond, “If, if, if - if frog’s had pistols, there’d be no more snakes!” They always laugh.
We need to be aware of language which is intentionally ambiguous or misleading in lots of applications. Contracts, relationships, and business are all potential sources of misunderstandings or dishonesty. Even our faith-life needs to be protected. John 8:44b When he (the Devil) lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” The account of Jesus’ temptation in the book of Luke highlights Satan’s use of a weasel word. Luke 4:3, 7, & 9 “If you are the Son of God…If you then will worship me…If you are the Son of God…” Because our enemy is constantly looking for ways to attack us, he certainly isn’t above using weasel words against us, too. Cartoons usually picture a little angel sitting on one of our shoulders and a little devil sitting on the other. That’s not such a bad image of our sinful nature and the new man battling against each other for control of our choices. The Devil, the world, and our sinful nature regularly tempt us with illusions of fame, success, pleasure, and dozens of other “gotta have’s” in our life. Lies, half-truths, and even truths are tools used against us.
Satan’s playbook is full of questions such as:
If God really exists, why would he allow something so terrible to happen?
If God loves you, why doesn’t he take away your cancer?
If God can do anything, why does he let wars break out?
And his all-time favorite – Could God really allow a sinner as bad as you into heaven?
As I told my freshmen English students, knowledge is the key to almost everything in life. This is no exception. When you are aware of words meant to mislead, you can at least be on guard against them and whoever is using them. Don’t allow advertisers to lead you to buy something which may or may not be what you need or want. Don’t allow politicians to convince you they are the “real deal”. Most of all, don’t allow Satan to beguile you with lies or half-truths which have the potential to harm you eternally. Jesus lived a perfect life, died a perfect death, and rose from the dead to guarantee your eternal life with him. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it
Me Mode
Dan Kunz
A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to hear a comedian, Gavin Jerome, talk about faith. I know, that sounds disjointed, but after hearing him, what he had to say made a lot of sense. The primary job of Christians is to share Jesus with others. To do that you have to have some sort of relationship with them, even if it only started five minutes earlier. When it comes to relating to others, a sense of humor can be a huge benefit. Most people would rather be around someone with a sense of humor, than someone as sour as month-old milk! An optimistic, lighthearted viewpoint is appreciated by most. His point is well-taken.
My favorite example of Gavin’s humor came in a story about his visit to the Department of Motor Vehicles. (We’ve probably all experienced a “cranky” representative, whether it’s at the DMV, post office, or the airlines.) His suggestion was this - When the person asks your name, state it loud and clear. When he or she asks for your birthday, state the month and the day. When the person asks for the year, say, “Well, every year!” The comedian went on. “I’m sure they’ll see the humor in that and join you in a good laugh - or not!” You probably don’t want to irritate someone who’s cranky, but at least his story was funny.
This comedian had his serious moments, too. As he told his life story, it became obvious that in his early years, he didn’t care much for God, or God’s preferred way to live one’s life. As he put it, he was in “Me Mode”. He was successful, popular, and living the “party life” for which some entertainers are known. That all changed abruptly. He was in a car crash that should have cost him his life - but it didn’t. He walked away with a few bruises and that was all. Even the first police officer on the scene was amazed he was alive!
After a great deal of reflection, he realized his “nodding acquaintance” with God needed to change. God had saved his life and he knew it. In the blink of an eye, he went from Me Mode to He Mode. People in Me Mode usually aren’t even aware of how self-absorbed they’ve become. As long as life is good, they’re good. Gavin readily admits the “tunnel vision” on his career, his success, and his enjoyment. Now that he’s in He Mode, things are different. He’s still successful and still popular, but his life is devoted to Jesus, not himself. His humor is clean and his message points to his Savior. He is filled with thankfulness, not just for a life saved in a car crash, but for a life saved for eternity and he takes every opportunity to share that message with all he meets. II Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
If we are in Me Mode, even only occasionally, we need to flip to He Mode. Hopefully, it doesn’t take a horrific accident, a career in shambles, or the loss of a relationship, to clear our head and set us on the right path. A life lived for him who lived, died, and rose again, for us, is a life well-lived, indeed! Flip that switch to He Mode and enjoy the results!
Music, Faith, and the Devil
Dan Kunz
The choices we have for listening to music today are almost unbounded. As a teenager, my Saturdays were usually “work days”, meaning my dad found lots of work for me to do every Saturday. Mowing the lawn, cleaning the dog kennel, and hauling garbage were a few of my normal activities. The transistor radio I kept nearby, playing the latest tunes, helped immensely. (For those of you too young to know about such advanced technology as the transistor radio, you can Google it.) Now we have Sirius XM, Pandora, and a myriad of other ways to get exactly the music which suits our current mood. I especially appreciate it, because one of my favorite types of music, bluegrass, isn’t usually available on many radio stations. I think part of the appeal of bluegrass for me is its “upbeat” nature. It’s hard to be sad while banjo pickin’ and fiddle playin’ are going on!
If you’ve never heard of The King James Boys, they combine bluegrass and Gospel music. Although I haven’t listened to all their music, one song caught my attention – “The Devil’s Not Afraid of a Dust-Covered Bible”. It’s long been said that good country music is “three chords and the truth”. I don’t know about the three chords part, but it seems a lot of music certainly conveys the truth – and faith! The King James Boys’ song is a good example, and it originates from a surprising source. For those of you who are religious scholars, you may have heard of a Nineteenth Century English preacher named Charles Spurgeon. He was a Baptist minister who defended conservative, Bible-based values. He was very well-known in his day and many of his quotes remain popular today. “The Devil’s not afraid of a dust-covered Bible” is one of them. “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” “God is our portion, Christ our companion, the Spirit our Comforter, Earth our lodge, and Heaven is our home.” The more of his quotes you read, the more you may like him. He emphasized a simple faith in Jesus, our Savior, as the one and only way to be saved.
Is your Bible dust-covered or does it hold a prominent place near your bed, your easy chair, or on your kitchen counter? God talks to us every day through that amazing book. He shares the wisdom which brought the universe into being. He calms our troubled heart. He points the way to eternal life through his Son, Jesus Christ. It’s all there and we have access to it 24/7! Thank God for all the people and events which made that possible, from the original writers, to the Dead Sea scrolls, to Martin Luther, to the printing press, and even to modern technology. People have no excuse for not knowing our Heavenly Father or his plan of salvation for us.
Don’t take time to read the Bible; make time to read the Bible. Being “in the Word” should become a habit, just like the Bereans. Acts 17:11 (The Bereans) received the word very eagerly and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these things were so. It doesn’t take huge amounts of daily study to benefit your spirit. The key word is daily. It will help you grow as a person and as a Christian, just don’t let the dust collect! Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
A Christmas Classic
Dan Kunz
What’s your favorite Christmas classic - “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Miracle on 34th Street”, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, “Elf”, “Home Alone”? (Don’t say “Die Hard”. That only takes place at Christmas time!) One of my favorites is “A Christmas Carol” better known in America as “Scrooge”. George C. Scott has always been one of my favorite actors, so I’m biased toward the 1984 version with Scott playing Ebenezer Scrooge. The acting, costumes, and staging are all fantastic!
Although many memorable events in the movie come to mind, Jacob Marley’s soliloquy is really the hinge pin which starts Scrooge on his journey of “redemption”. Marley’s ghost says, “I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?” According to Michel Martin del Campo’s commentary on the movie, “The chains represent each act of greed Marley committed in life. The chains are tied to money boxes, ledgers, and other heavy items that symbolize Marley's greed in life that he must now drag everywhere.” Especially vivid in the 1984 version is the image of Jacob Marley’s ghost wearing his heavy chains while dragging even more behind him. What if all our sins made up a chain – greed, lust, hatred, idolatry? You get the idea. We wouldn’t be dragging any chain. We’d be buried under a mountain of chain – literally!
Remember I wrote that “A Christmas Carol” or “Scrooge” is one of my favorite Christmas classics? My really, truly, all time favorite Christmas classic is “The Night God Came To Earth To Remove My Chains”! Don’t look for it on Netflix, or Amazon Prime, or even The Hallmark Channel. The best place to find this classic is in the Bible. God’s Word tells us the little baby, born in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, would grow up to live a perfect life in our place. He would die a horrible, painful death on the cross in our place. He would be forsaken, abandoned, and deserted by his Heavenly Father in our place. But then, on Easter Sunday morning, he would rise from the grave to announce his victory over, not only earthly death, but also eternal death. We can now take our place in heaven with him, because of him. We are now the perfect ones in God’s eyes. Jesus Christ, the baby born in Bethlehem, has rid us of our chains of sin and guilt, once and for all. Have a truly blessed and joyful Christmas!
Luke 2:8-14 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
You Broke It
Dan Kunz
One of the things I most appreciate about my daughters, is that they hold their kids accountable. Whether five or fifteen, they are being taught to be responsible. Some wash their own clothes. Others load the dishwasher. They love to help their moms cook or bake. If they’re old enough, they mow the lawn. I’m amazed that they all get at their homework and complete it without whining, crying, or procrastinating. (They didn’t learn that from me!) Unfortunately, because so many parents today don’t hold their children responsible for the things they do, a pretty sizable portion of the population is growing up in a way which spells trouble for them down the road. If you broke it, you fix it. If you messed up your room, you clean it up. If you hurt someone, physically or emotionally, you make things right with them. People who grow up with such a mindset will probably go far in this world, simply because so many people don’t operate that way.
One of the most important lessons parents can teach their kids is that choices have consequences. I was shocked to learn the average person makes over 30,000 choices every day, all the way from choosing what to have for breakfast to what career path to pursue. Obviously, some choices have minimal consequences, and some have enormous consequences. Some people make great choices and end up with a good job, spouse, and family. Others make poor choices and end up homeless, incarcerated, or dead. Making choices is part of learning responsibility, too.
Unfortunately, there are some things we break which we can’t fix. I’m not a plumber or an electrician. If I hit a deer with my truck, I’m not fixing that! Some things we mess up and can’t clean up. If I accidentally spill a bag of fertilizer on the lawn, some is going to stay there. No matter how responsible we are taught to be, we don’t always have the tools to make everything right again. Fortunately, we have a God who can do anything. He can create a universe with just a word. He can mold a bucket of dirt into a walking, talking, thinking human being. He can come into the world as a tiny baby, grow into a man, die on a cross and fix every commandment we’ve broken and every mess we’ve made in our lives.
So-called “helicopter parents” or “bulldozer parents” really aren’t doing their kids any favors in this life. When they follow their child around, trying to clean up every mess they make, the child never learns responsibility. When they strive to make their child’s life “happy” by clearing out every obstacle in their path, the child never learns to fend for himself or herself. Having a God who loves us, wants us to be happy, and can restore us to perfection, is a different story. God, from eternity, had a plan for us. Through his Son, our brother, Jesus Christ, he executed the plan for us, because we could not do it ourselves. He fixes our brokenness and cleans up the mess we make of our lives. Jesus lived a perfect life and died a perfect death so we could be “unbroken” and “clean”.
It’s important to fix what you break and clean up your messes, but it’s even more important to know who, ultimately, is responsible for your eternal life! II Corinthians 5:19 That is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them. And he has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.
The Latest Upgrade
Dan Kunz
If you have a smartphone, it’s inevitable that you’ll get a message every month or two telling you to “download the latest upgrade”. If you’re like me, you probably dread the thought of getting a new upgrade. Some “techno-geek” somewhere is being paid whole bushel baskets full of money, to make your life more convenient, quicker, easier, or better. I just want it the way it was! The upgrades might be an improvement in their eyes, but not necessarily in mine. I’ve got to search for things, change how to do things, or do without something I really liked and depended on. Ugh!
Sadly, the same mindset has affected people’s perception of God. Many in today’s world want a God who is more convenient, quicker, easier, or better. Take, for example, the topic of abortion. God’s viewpoint of taking another person’s life is pretty simple and straightforward. “You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13. God begins life at conception also seems obvious. “For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13. Show a three-year-old an ultrasound picture of an unborn child and ask them what it is. “It’s a baby,” they’ll tell you with a look that shows they don’t think much of your intelligence if you had to ask a three-year-old that! Those two concepts should tell us all we need to know about abortion, yet people have wanted an “upgrade” in God’s “operating system” for years and years. Even with the most recent Supreme Court ruling about abortion, people are more determined than ever to do away with any limitations on abortion. Babies sometimes aren’t convenient. Having a baby right now will make things difficult. Adding another child to the family will not make our financial situation better. These are all reasons for an upgrade in God’s laws, right?
Of course other upgrades are popular, too. Do you want to live together outside of marriage? Just pretend God “upgraded” the Sixth Commandment. Don’t like the thought of going to hell when you die? Imagine God did a “re-boot” and eliminated hell. Everybody gets to go the heaven! Don’t like the idea of going to church to hear God’s Word every week? No problem! God just upgraded the Third Commandment, too. You don’t have to go to church or be bothered with God’s Word at all! Just drop a couple items at the local food pantry occasionally, and God will call it “good” at Judgement Day!
The only upgrade God does is in our status as a sinner! Through Jesus’ life and death, God has upgraded us from sinner to saint, from damned to forgiven. He doesn’t change to accommodate us. He changes us, to accommodate him! His perfect justice was executed on Jesus, not us. Wearing Christ’s robe of righteousness, we are now “fit” to enter God’s presence. What am I thankful for at this time of year? I’m thankful God, through the Holy Spirit, installed the most important upgrade I needed - faith in Jesus as my Savior! Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and tomorrow.”
Flavored Water
Dan Kunz
Elizabeth Barrett Browning once wrote, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!” My modern take on that is, “How do I love my water? Let me count the ways!” I haven’t actually done a count of how many different ways a person can buy water today, but it has to be dozens, if not hundreds. I’m kind of partial to the raspberry-flavored 20-ounce bottles which I get at my favorite convenience store, but during the summer I also like the many flavors LaCroix offers in cans which include a little “sparkle”! You can get flavored water. You can get carbonated water. You can get water in bottles. You can get water in cans. You can even get little packets of energy-boosting powder which you can add to your water. The variations are limitless.
My dad moved to his heavenly home quite a few years ago, but if he was still around, I’m sure he’d be amazed that people actually buy water, instead of filling up a glass from the faucet. If he was still around, I’m pretty sure he’d “box my ears” for spending good money for something which is free. The flavored water would, as my friend says, “Throw him for a spinner!” Why would you need to add anything to good, clean, cold, refreshing water? As odd as that may seem to an “old soul”, many people do so every day. Unfortunately, many people do the exact same thing with the “living water” which Jesus offers.
John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The Samaritan woman at the well was there drawing water in the middle of the day because she was trying to avoid the looks and comments of her fellow Samaritans. She was a “woman with a reputation”. The well water she was getting definitely wasn’t flavored and probably wasn’t even safe to drink without boiling. Jesus spoke to her not only of her earthly need for pure water, he also spoke with her about a much more important topic. The water which Jesus offered the woman at the well is the exact same water he offers you and me - the pure, unadulterated Gospel. Once we have that Gospel, we will never again be thirsty (for something “better”), and it will bring us eternal life with God in heaven.
Do people try to “flavor” this living water? Absolutely! Just as some people may think that plain old regular water is kind of dull, boring, or lacking flavor, some may feel that the Gospel is also plain, dull, boring, or lacking “flavor”. Let’s infuse some of our good works to make it sparkle. Let’s eliminate some of God’s commandments to make it taste better. Let’s add some of our own thoughts and ideas to make it sweeter. Adding flavors or carbonation may be okay for canned or bottled water, but adding to or subtracting from the Living Water, makes it poisonous! Any time we add or subtract from any of God’s Word, we diminish it. If we do so with the Gospel, we take the most valuable commodity on earth, and make it worthless. I don’t know about you, but although I sometimes like my earthly water to taste like raspberries, I want my spiritual water to taste like Jesus!
When I Am an Old Man…
Dan Kunz
When I am an old man I shall drink chocolate milk. Does my new mantra sound familiar? For a few of you who are aware of Jenny Joseph’s poem, “Warning”, it might. Written in 1961, the poem has become an anthem for people who have reached “senior citizen” status. It begins with the lines,
“When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.”
The point of the poem is to enjoy things in old age which may not have been the case when one was younger – when you get old, you can do as you please. Maybe at a younger age doing or having certain things wasn’t expedient or it was too expensive. We have lots of reasons for limiting or denying ourselves or feeling guilty when we don’t.
As I was a little boy, chocolate milk was a “treat”, reserved for special occasions. I’m not sure why, but I’m guessing that it may have cost a little more than regular milk. Also, it contained chocolate, so, of course, it was kind of like candy. Did anyone else have a similar experience? Even now, I am somewhat surprised when one of our grandkids has chocolate milk with a “regular meal”! After all, aren’t contentment and moderation considered worthy goals for us, as Christians, to pursue? Indulgence, which the poem celebrates, isn’t good, is it? Let’s look at that a little bit.
When God created the world, he didn’t just make it functional. He made it beautiful and opulent as well. Adam and Eve had the most amazing home anyone can imagine. Although sin has certainly tainted that home (which we inherited), the visual delight and abundance which the earth offers shows the Creator’s love for us. Just as we always have chocolate milk in the refrigerator for the grandkids when they come over, God has stocked our home with incredible gifts for us to enjoy, and not just when we get old! At this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, the stunning sight of trees clothed in gold, yellow, red, and orange is on full display. Truth be told, most of our breakfast, lunch, and dinner tables probably have wholesome and tasty food on a regular basis. It’s okay to be content with what you have and do all things in moderation, but it’s also okay to take a break from whatever you are doing and enjoy a crisp autumn morning and the glories of creation. It’s okay to live in a home which has nice furniture. It’s okay to eat dessert first!
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
God’s Word encourages us to partake of the best which our Heavenly Father has to offer. We know he has plans to someday take us to the home he has prepared for us. He sent his Son, our Savior, into the world for that very reason, to live a perfect life and die a perfect death to purchase our admission ticket. If this is our future, it makes sense that God would give us a foretaste of those blessings now, to whet our appetite for the things to come. We are the children of the King! He wants us to enjoy the experience now, and even more so when we are with him in heaven. I don’t know about wearing purple, but when I am an old man I shall drink chocolate milk. When I’m in heaven, I shall always drink chocolate milk!
What We Really Need
Dan Kunz
For the past several months, I’ve been telling friends, family and acquaintances about Dr. Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist and writer. I have become a huge fan lately and encourage others to check out his book, Twelve Rules for Life: An Antidote for Chaos, his podcast, or his many interviews on YouTube. He is uncommonly gifted with common sense and is a conservative voice for reason. As far as I know, he doesn’t profess to be a Christian, but he certainly espouses many opinions which Christians hold and quotes the Bible quite often in his speaking and writing. Because he says many things which ring true for Christians and verbalizes some of the same beliefs which Christians share, I think we can take away some important concepts from his viewpoint.
For example, in Twelve Rules for Life, Peterson states, “All people serve their ambition. In that matter, there are no atheists. There are only people who know, and don’t know, what God they serve.” As Christians you and I know we serve the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our “ambition” is to glorify God through our thoughts, words, and actions. Our “ambition” is to spread the Good News of God’s plan of salvation with as many people as possible. Our “ambition” is to hold fast to Jesus, as he holds fast to us, so that we may spend eternity with him in heaven. Philippians 1:6 I am convinced of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
The famous 17th Century philosopher, Blaise Pascal, once said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum (hole) in the heart of each man, which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.” Man innately knows God belongs in that hole, but, when he refuses to put God there, must fill it with something else. That, I believe, is what Jordan Peterson meant. Even an atheist must put his “faith” in something. It might be power. It might be wealth. It might be pleasure. “All people serve their ambition.” We know who we serve and do so willingly and gladly. Even if someone doesn’t know who they serve, they still serve him, her, or it. It’s like a person who says, “I know I’m hungry, but I don’t know what I’m hungry for.” You can bet they’ll eat something, even if they can’t determine what it is they’d really like to have.
How can we help? If you find someone who seems to be searching, don’t necessarily tell them what you think they need. Instead, share with them that you, too, once felt unfulfilled, wandering, adrift. Maybe you even tried to fill the void with something other than God, too. Most importantly, share with them what finally filled the void, quenched your thirst, and calmed your troubled heart – Jesus. Next, and maybe just as important, offer to be their guide. Don’t just give them the map, take the journey with them. Teach them. Encourage them. Direct them. When they reach their destination, as you do, it will be a day even the angels will celebrate.
Push the Right Buttons
Dan Kunz
As some of you know, my wife and I moved into a new home a little over two years ago. It was a “new build”, so although we’re not complete slaves to technology, it certainly has more new tech ideas than our former home of over forty years. I joke that I may have to go back to school to learn how to operate everything. One of the facets of our new home, which is completely different than the old, is how our lights are operated. Although we had one or two “dimmer switches” in our former house, most lights were operated by a simple on-and-off switch on the wall. In a few rooms, two switches could operate the same light, but that was about the extent of the complexity. Our new home, however, turns the complexity up several notches.
Every room has a switch plate with at least four small pushbuttons on it. One may be for the lights in that room. One may be for the lights in the next room. One may be for the lights in the previous room. One may be for what’s called a “scene”. This switch can turn on pre-specified lights to a certain brightness, turn on outlets with lamps attached, and even raise or lower blinds to a certain height. Some have another pushbutton which turns off all the lights in an area. We can also operate all this technology from our phones! To say this can be confusing is the understatement of the year. Amazingly, though, even an “old dog” can learn new tricks and, as the Marine credo goes, “improve, adapt, and overcome”.
After a few weeks of living in our new home, I found myself instinctively reaching for certain buttons to turn lights and other things on and off without having to bend over and peer at the tiny labels on the switches to accomplish what I wanted. It became a part of my life’s routine. In the morning, walk into the bathroom and push the button for the vanity lights to wash my face, walk down the hall and push the button for the kitchen and great room lights. Push the button to raise the great room blinds. You get the idea. Occasionally, our electrician has returned and changed some of the switches to accommodate what we want in a certain room. I’m amazed at how quickly I can adapt to “pushing different buttons”!
Isn’t that the way it is throughout our lives? We do so many things through simple repetition which very quickly becomes a habit – how we brush our teeth, how we make our morning coffee, or how we say goodbye to our loved ones when they leave from a visit. Those habits are good things which make our lives stable and anxiety-free. We can, however, also develop habits which, like a new set of wall switches, need to be adapted and re-learned. On one side, over the years we may have formed a habit such as losing our temper, gossiping, using crude language, or taking God’s name in vain, which needs to be eliminated. On the other side, we may need to improve our prayer life by being more thoughtful in our prayers and not vain and repetitious. We may need to develop an actual schedule for reading our Bibles or doing an individual Bible study. We may need to start taking notes during the Sunday sermon to improve our attention and retention of the points made by the pastor.
It's said that old habits die hard, but they can and do die. New habits are difficult to form, but not impossible (like pushing the right button). This is an area where we can easily encourage one another, “You can do it.” II Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Self-control is the key to many things in life, and God’s power enables us to use it to bless ourselves and others!