I’m deeply grateful for the counsel of my father and mother as I was growing up. Many of the blessings I enjoy today are a result of wise choices they guided me into as a young person.With Father’s Day soon coming up, I’ve been sharing some of the principles my father instilled in me that have been foundational in my life. One of the themes of his life and of our upbringing was the simple concept that “little things matter.”
My dad frequently emphasized the importance of seemingly minor choices, decisions, and habits—things that on the face of it may appear to be insignificant. Those “little things” include such choices as what time we go to bed at night and get up in the morning; what we eat, when, and how much; how we respond to irritating people or circumstances; how we spend our “free time, how we spend our money . . . and on and on.
I learned from my dad that even choices and actions that seem trivial have consequences, and easily become habits. Of course, this can work both ways, for good and for bad.
My dad often reminded us that bad habits are easy to make and fall into, but not so easy to break. Good habits are harder to make, but have enduring value through the course of a lifetime. We had these conversations when I was a child, then when I was a teen. And now that I’m in my fifties, I am more keenly aware than ever of how right he was! Most of the wise habits I have today are the long-term fruit of choices I made as a young woman.
Unfortunately, as a younger woman, I also made unwise choices in some areas that seemed inconsequential from my perspective. As a result, I struggle today with some habits that are really hard to break. I wish I had listened more carefully and heeded more consistently this challenge about choices! Many of our habits as adults are the result of little, individual choices we made when we were nine or nineteen or twenty-nine—things we didn’t think were such a big deal.
Let me give you an example. I made a lot of poor choices in relation to diet and exercise when I was younger. I practically lived in a fast food restaurant in my twenties. I didn’t think such a “little thing” as my eating habits really mattered.
But now as a middle-aged woman who struggles to practice self-control and discipline when it comes to caring for my body, I wish I had established more healthy habits when I was twenty!
God’s Word is clear that we reap what we sow. Every act, every choice we make, at any age, has consequences.
Every act, every choice, sows a seed. And it will reap a harvest. The challenging thing is that the harvest isn’t usually immediate. I planted a lot of seeds in my earlier years. By God’s grace and thanks to the influence and guidance of wise parents, I planted a lot of good seeds, the results of which have become more apparent in recent years. But I also planted some unhealthy seeds and am now wrestling with some of the consequences of those choices.
My dad used to say it this way: “You are what you have been becoming. And you will be down the road what you are becoming now.”
The good news is, even if you’re older and have made choices you regret, there’s hope! That’s what grace is for. That’s what the cross is about—the only means by which the losses occasioned by our sin can be redeemed and we can be made “new creatures.” By the power of the Holy Spirit, those bad habits can be broken and we can walk in a way that is pleasing to God.
What seeds do you regret sowing when you were younger? What choices are you making today that could become a pattern you will regret further down the road? How can you start fresh today, by God’s grace, and make choices that will produce good fruit for His glory?
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on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 8:06 am
on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 8:46 am
on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 9:18 am
on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 10:15 am
While I do believe the Scriptures teach personal responsibility and the beauty of living with practical wisdom, it's also true that the Lord is so very often gracious and merciful to us when we don't get all of those tiny decisions "100% right." There may be weeks in life, in certain seasons, when you really don't have much time to do more than grab a fast food meal, but the Lord doesn't condemn you for that and I don't believe He wants us to live in a state of constant navel-gazing over every tiny decision we make in life. We may have weeks that life gets crazy and we simply don't get the recommended 8 hours of sleep, or a friend needs to stay up late and talk about something serious--and God still cares for us.
I certainly don't want to excuse poor lifestyle choices as a habit, but I also think this way of thinking can unwittingly lead to emotional bondage for some folks.
Just had to speak up for those of us out there who may already struggle with feeling (erroneously) that Christianity boils down to a list of "do this and God will take care of you" and "don't do this or God will allow you to experience terrible consequences."
on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 1:17 pm
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings:")
But I don't think the thinking is 'Do this and God will take care of you.' We know He will never leave us nor forsake us ever. And if we pursue our own pleasures & not God's will, HE can drag us out & it might not be pleasant. I have high blood pressure now from sleep apnea. And that's from wrong food choices & amounts. And the medication makes me cough if I don't eat right. And the high bp made my apnea act up last night since I took our boys out after church and I had consequences of Apnea again. God uses our consequences to steer us in His way. See 2 Peter 2:8-10 Here's 9a:"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations," Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." I don't want to resist God. So I'm going to study The Fear of The LORD. Arlita Winston was mentioned a lot as a wonderful example by Elisabeth Elliot. I listened to her Rejoicing in the Fear of the Lord 4 CD series & right after I could witness to a neighbor boy about what it means to be Born Again.! And a lady at church asked me what is Born Again just this Sunday! This is a powerful series I have been helped by. I plan to review it again & do a Meditation Work Sheet on the Fear of the LORD too. We all need this. Thanks again Carrie!
Love in Christ,
on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 2:32 pm
on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 6:34 pm
I believe in disciple as a part of our Christian walk, but I have to listen to my Jesus very carefully as to what that discipline should look like in my life. If I don't, I will fall victim to very unhealthy ways of thinking and acting....It becomes me trying to "do it right" rather than relying on my precious Lord's grace and His work already accomplished.
In fact lately, I have been quoting this verse rather frequently, "because by one sacrifice he [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:14
This verse means so much to me because it reminds me that Jesus has done it "right!" And when God looks at me He sees perfection (because of Jesus) and at the same time I am perfect in Christ, I am also still being made holy till Jesus returns!
This helps me get my hands around not having to "do it right" while also continuing to grow, be molded, make mistakes, change habits, learn, and mess up some more in the process!! :)
"There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!"
Dear Lord,
Please give us all wisdom in all the choices we make! Thank you for being a personal God that know each of completely. You know what we need or don't need and you are kind enough to share your wisdom with us if we will just ask!
Praises to you our King!
on Monday, June 6, 2011 at 9:15 pm
My choices to follow Biblical teachings throughout my life have saved me from much disaster in the past 9 months as i unwittingly found myself getting too close emotionally to another man, (not my husband). Through this very difficult trial, i have finally understood Grace and Mercy, in combination with my years of making choices consistent with Biblical teachings, and have been able to remain victorious through this very painful time.
As Nancy stated, the good seeds I sowed when I was younger have made a huge difference in my life today (30 years later).
on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 7:59 am