Tag Archives: No Excuses

Devotional

Calling it a Spade

Leave a comment

Read Matthew 7:21-29

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE

“Let anyone with ears listen!” (Mathew 13:9)

SpadeExcuses, excuses, excuses. This world is filled with them, isn’t it? And we don’t have to look too far to find a boat-full of excuses do we? The truth is that excuses flow from our mouths as much as they fill our ears. As a person, I have certainly made my share of excuses in my life. When I didn’t like a subject in school, I would come up with excuses as to why I COULD NOT succeed at it. In the past, I have excused myself for bad eating habits. I have excused myself for being in a bad mood, for having a bad attitude, for bad behavior and for a host of other things. It’s not that I am confessing something that would be surprising to anyone, whether they know me or not. If we are all to be completely honest with ourselves, everyone of us has made excuses for a variety of different things.

We Christians, it seems, are just as good at making excuses for ourselves as everyone else is. As someone who has both been in the church and has served the church in a host of different ways, I know the kinds of excuses that get made. For instance, when people are challenged to read the Bible more they will often come up with excuses such as, “I just don’t understand it,” or “Gee, I just don’t have the extra time to read it.” I hear excuses for why people can’t be a part of the life of the church, why they can’t lead in this way or that, why they can’t give more in one way or the other, and a whole host of excuses for not doing a variety of different things.

One excuse that really gets me is the one that people often make when it comes to living out the Gospel in their lives. It is quite clear when we read the Bible that Jesus called his disciples, and through them he called us, to live as he did. He calls us to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbors, including our enemies, as ourselves. Any preacher worth their weight in salt will most certainly preach that as one of the key components of the Gospel message and will challenge his or her congregants to answer that call; yet, when pressed, people will say, “Of course Jesus lived that way, he’s the Son of God. He was perfect…I’m not.”

I have always been one to call a spade a spade, and so I will be no different here. Not only is that an excuse, it is an affront to the Gospel and it goes against everything that Jesus taught and did. Jesus did not come to “show off” like some entertaining illusionist (though walking on water would be a neat trick to pull off); rather, Jesus lived the life that he was calling us all to join with him in living. In other words, Jesus does not buy our excuses and nor should we. We aren’t fooling God, even if we are fooling ourselves. I believe that, if we search deep down, we’ll find that we are not really fooling ourselves either.

Today’s challenge is to stop making excuses. Call things as they are. If God’s message of unconditional love, acceptance, forgiveness and compassion really move and inspire you, then start living that kind of life. Don’t excuse yourself for not doing it; rather, really start trying to live that way. It’s not about being perfect, but about being sincere. If you don’t want to follow God and live as God created you to, then just be honest and say it. Don’t excuse yourself, for that doesn’t change the fact that you simply don’t want to. If, on the other hand, you love God and want to live as a child of God, then start doing it. Persevere in holy living, in living that is set apart for God, and you will see yourself opened to the transformative power of God and to the hidden possibilities that God has for you.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” – Thomas Jefferson

PRAYER

Lord, you know all things including the things about me that no one else knows. You know the life I’ve led and the real reasons why I have led it in the manner I have. I am not perfect, but I trust that through you I am being perfected. Strengthen me to be honest with myself and spark the desire in me to live as you have called me to live. Amen.

Devotional

Just Do It

1 Comment

Read Joshua 24:1-16

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE

“But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” (James 1:22)

Just-Do-ItI am currently in the middle of another juice fast. Every quarter of a year or so, I go on a fast to reboot my body, to cleanse it of toxins, and to get myself back on track in terms of healthy eating and healthy living. The first couple of days of juicing are hard because the body is getting used to not eating, and all you can think of is eating. Also, the body is detoxing from the toxins that processed foods, caffeinated foods/beverages, and other food products deposit in it.  After the first two to three days, I start to feel golden, filled with energy and life. All is good.

Many people ask me how I can possibly do a juice fast, or how I can remain vegan. They usually will commend me on my iron will power and question I can possibly enjoy food anymore. After all, vegans don’t like eating right? I mean how could a vegan ever enjoy eating vegetables all the time? Aren’t veggies meant to be side dishes and not the main course?

Of course, I do not have iron will power. You can trust me on that. If I did I would not have gotten to 306 lbs to begin with. I just got to the point where my health became more important to me than any excuse I could possibly come up with. That’s what it came down to, I got fed up with making excuses and just started doing it.

People make excuses for a lot of things. When people find themselves facing a decision they know they should make but don’t want to, they will find reasons as to why they can’t do it.  I’m too tired…I’m just not skilled enough…I like this food or that food too much to switch now…I’m a nobody, so what difference can I make? These excuses and more are made as reasons for not making a decision to change and move forward.

As Joshua pointed out to the Israelites, we all find ourselves at some crossroad or another. We find ourselves facing down a decision to change. It’s time to choose now, this day, who we will serve. Will we serve our comfort zone and the status quo in order to avoid the changes we need to make? Will we serve our fears and make excuses as to why we CAN’T do things? Or will we serve God and make the necessary change because we’ve finally come to realize that the change needs to be made and God is calling us to make it. Whatever that change is, whatever God is calling you to do, stop excusing yourself, make the change, and see God’s iron will carry you through it.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” – Benjamin Franklin

PRAYER

Lord, I don’t want to make excuses anymore. I choose to make the decision to change from who I am to who you are calling me to be. Amen.