James 1:22-25 (NIV)
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do
what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after
looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and
continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be
blessed in what they do.
There is a scene from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back,
in which Luke Skywalker is training down in the swamps of Dagobah, “where it
bubbles all the time like a giant carbonated soda.” Jedi master Yoda commands
Luke to excavate an X-wing fighter that has sunk at the bottom of the swamp.
You remember that scene, right? Upon Yoda’s request, Luke responds, “All right,
I’ll give it a try.” Notice Yoda’s answer to Luke. Are you ready? This is deep
theological stuff.
Yoda says, “No! Try not. Do. Or do not!! There is no
try.”
Sometimes we use “I’m trying” as an excuse. Don’t we? I
know I do. I think the tiny, pointy eared, green puppet might be on to
something. Either we do, or we do not. Sure, sometimes we fail in the middle of
doing. Sometimes we fall short. Sometimes we mess up. When we say we are
trying, however, often it is an excuse for not giving our best, or it is a way
out if we fail.
If we want to be a good parent either we are doing the
things it takes to be a good parent or we are not. We are giving our kids the
time they deserve, investing in them, putting our needs second, disciplining
them, loving them, and caring for them, or we are not.
If we want to be close to God we are praying, reading
God’s word, attending worship, memorizing scripture, confessing our sins, and
having others hold us accountable or we are not.
If we want to be good at something we are practicing,
educating ourselves, placing ourselves around others who are better than us,
and devoting time to it or we are not.
If we want to have a good marriage we are spending time
with our spouse, setting appropriate boundaries, doing things for them, putting
their welfare ahead of ours, meeting unspoken needs, loving them
unconditionally or we are not.
When it comes to our lives we often deceive ourselves and
say we are trying, when in reality we are not doing what it takes to accomplish
the task set before us. Sometimes simply trying is the easy way out. Sometimes
trying is an excuse. Sometimes trying is leaves us an open window to exit through
when the going gets tough. Shouldn’t we be doing?
At times we even fool ourselves into thinking that
knowing is the same thing as doing. We know what it takes to be a good parent,
spouse, Christian, hobbyist, and we delude ourselves into thinking that knowing
is enough. It is the doing that makes the difference. It is the application of
the knowledge that brings us the desired results.
Are you trying? Do you fool yourself into thinking that
knowing is the same as doing? Let’s forget trying and let’s start doing. In
doing we are going to fail. We will fall short at times, but at least we can
say we only stumbled in the midst of doing and applying what we know it takes
to reach the goal.
Dear Lord, Help us not just try but to do. Thank You for giving
us the strength to accomplish everything that is before us. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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