Good Habits

After our family eats breakfast every day, we read a daily devotional called "Keys for Kids."  Today's story was about a group of boys who made the habit of cutting the corner of a block by walking across a lawn.  At first there was no evidence of their path on the turf, but toward the end of summer there was a clear trail of damaged grass.  This brought to mind my own lawn.  Mail carriers in Australia are called "posties," and instead of delivering mail on foot they ride small motorbikes.  Because there is no fence around my lawn, the postie has made a habit of cutting the corner of our property.  As I mow the lawn I cannot help but notice the deep ruts his tires have cut when he traverses the lawn in wet weather.  The more he cuts the corner the deeper the track goes.

Our habits, whether good or bad, have repercussions.  If a man habitually uses tobacco, his body inside and out will present evidence of that fact.  In the same way, if someone is a weight-lifting enthusiast his muscle tone and strength will not be easily hidden.  When I think about the postie cutting through my lawn, I am struck by the fact his habits affects me and my ability to have a nice lawn.  It is a wise thing to consider that the habits we form and perpetuate can have long-lasting affects not just on ourselves, but on our spouses, children, and friends.  Our habits can encourage and inspire or weaken and tear down.

Instead of looking at "habits" as being generally bad, we ought to work to cultivate and maintain good habits.  Scripture affirms this with the exhortation found in 1 Corinthians 15:33:  "Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."  Habits can be good, and we must be mindful that our good habits are not corrupted.  The word "corrupts" here means "to wither or shrivel."  The slow process of atrophy hides the reality from our casual glance.  We can be deceived to think that our associations and choices will not affect our good habits.  A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough, and a little compromise can endanger the survival of good habits!

Titus 3:8 reads, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men."  May we take this to heart and choose our habits carefully!