LOSE YOURSELF! –A Lesson from Jesus

What do you really have if you’ve gained the whole world, but lost your soul? Jesus put it more smoothly; He said it so we’d never forget. [See Mark, chapter 8]  However, remembering is not enough.

Stay with me, please.

In the beginning was the Word…and the Word was made flesh. The Word became somethingTAN-GI-BLE. It breathed, it moved, mostly it worked. There’s no escaping this: knowing what do to is not enough. Just knowing is NOT power. Acting on the knowledge is power. [Note: after the 4 Gospels in the New Testament is the “Acts” of the apostles.]

When I teach Academic Seminar (skills) to the students, I hear all the time, “This stuff is amazing! This changes everything; college ain’t gonna (hey, I work in the South) be so heavy this semester!” After most classes, students even come up to say “thank-you!”  Although that’s pretty nice to hear, I’ve lived too long to believe many of them will put the knowledge to practice…even though they’ve had a ‘revelation’ from the lesson.  

Think about how you feel after each of these experiences:

--Your kid’s been struggling in school. You finally go in and get things straightened out.

--Someone you know is suffering. You finally act on that feeling to share with them that you know “prayer really does help.”

--You feel like crap. You finally do some honest, hard exercise for a few days.

The possible scenarios are endless.  YOU FEEL EMPOWERED after you act, and while you are DOING.  So, how do we get there? How do we change from “knowing” what we’re supposed to be doing, to actually “doing” those things? Here’s something that’s helping me:

Choose a habit that you have every day. Maybe it’s making your bed, taking a shower, getting a Coke. Before you take part in that routine, DO what you KNOW you’re supposed to be doing FIRST.  If that’s exercise, DO IT before the other. If it’s reading the scriptures, DO IT first. If it’s paying more loving attention to your kids or spouse, DO IT first.

Extra power comes by also DOING what you’re supposed to be AFTER your regular routines as well. So, DO IT before your regular routine; DO IT after your regular routine!

 Then, here’s the one I’d love to master: start DOING what you know to be right instead of the routinely BAD habits.

At first, only delay your regularly scheduled habits by a few minutes. Even a short stint of exercise BEFORE you shower/make bed/drink your caffeine gives you power.

Those of you, who are already having success and found your own ways of DOING, please post below. Helping others is encouraged!