Four Habits

By Laura Blair

Thankfulness

                “May I have some juice?”

     “What do you say?”

     “Please…!”

      How many of you have anxiously stood awaiting your child to say “thank you” to a grandparent who has just given them a gift?  That’s right!  Saying “please” and “thank you” is a great habit to have. 

     Two basic biblical principles are incorporated in these little words:  humility and thankfulness.  James 4:6 quotes from Prov.3:34, “Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.”  When we can say please and thank you, even to those under our authority or to our siblings, we are being humble.  And it looks like the opposite of humble is scornful.  I live with a child who is scornful.  It’s no fun!  He uses manipulation and anger to get his way, instead of asking “please?”  Do you know what he gets in return?  Scorned, rebutted, refused.  No fun for him either.  In his defense, I must say that adopted children usually display this type of behavior.  We are working on teaching him thankfulness.

     In I Thes.5:18 we are encouraged to give thanks for everything; “for this is the will of Elohim in Yeshua the Messiah for you.”  This is His will for you… why?  Do you know that there are medical studies coming out which show that being thankful is healthy for you?!  Yahweh always wants what is best for us.  Thank You, Father!

Being On Time

     Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”  I use this verse to point out the importance of being on time.  This is the second habit we need in our lives.  Yes, there are situations when, no matter how hard we try, we are going to be late.  Those times should be few and far between.  When we are late, others are waiting.  We are telling them that our time is more important than their time.  Romans chapter 12 goes to great lengths to exhort us to prefer others over ourselves.  Being on time is a look into our lives of what is important to us.  Who goes to the movies late?  We want to see the beginning, right?  (we may wish to miss the previews, I understand that… )  Who gets to their assembly meetings early?  Those with responsibilities.  And those who don’t want to miss the beginning!  J

Keeping Our Promises

     The third habit we need in our lives; keeping our promises.  If we say we are going to do something, be somewhere, etc. we should keep our word.  We are lying when we don’t fulfill our promises.  Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”  When someone suffers from too many broken promises, they become distrustful of everyone, including Yahweh.  Some times when we make a promise we have good intentions, but situations change and we might try to justify a way out.   Psalm 15: 4 says, “He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.”  In other words, even if it hurts to keep your promise, you need to “not change”.  This verse is in answer to the first verse of the Psalm, “Who may abide in Your tabernacle?” 

     We need to keep our promises, even if it becomes difficult to do so.  I know that I want to abide in His tabernacle.  Of course, if there is an emergency that makes fulfilling a promise totally impossible, or it was wrong to make the vow in the first place, those are exceptions.  Then we need to appeal to be released from the vow, seeking forgiveness and to give possible restitution for “deferring” hope.  Yeshua wants our “yes to be yes, and your no, no.” 

Finish What You Start

     The last habit we should have in our lives is to finish what we start.  We should be wise and count the costs.  Begin those things that you know you will/can finish.  I was terrible at this as a teen.  Something got too hard, and I quit.  This links rather nicely with keeping your word.  J  As believers, we are salt and light.  People are looking at us.  Will we finish what we started, especially when times are hard?  Others will not trust us if they cannot count on us. 

     If quitting becomes a habit (a bad one ), we will lose many opportunities to advance in life.  This would be a terrible habit for our children to cultivate.  Salt and light have an effect on their environments.  It shouldn’t be the other way around.  Don’t allow circumstances to thwart your progress.  One of my favorite verses is found in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

     I write this as a home schooling mom.  These are habits that I need in my life, and I need to be teaching them by example to my children.  There are many verses in Scripture that talk about people who lived in favor with those around them.  (Acts 2:47 )  We are encouraged to live such lives.  ( Romans 12:18 )  I believe that having these four habits firmly engrained in our lives will make us more salty and shiny, and others will be drawn to Him.

     One more thing that I would like to encourage you with:  these four things have ONE thing in common.  Respect.  Did you think I was going to say “love”?  I’m sorry, but that word doesn’t mean what it should to us.  The ones we love the most, we do the most damage to.  We do not speak kindly to them.  We don’t show up when we are supposed to.  We do not keep our promises.  We do not finish what we began in their lives.  But how do you behave at work?  At the grocery store?  Around your children’s friends?  You behave with respect.  And with deference.  You allow the co-worker to have the last word.  You thank the bagger who just smashed your bread.  It’s ok.  But let’s have these four habits AT HOME where they will do the most good.  Respect one another.  And yourself.  J

            Wow!  I finished something!  J