Busy or Faithful?

The busiest generation in history may not be the most productive one. An article that I read recently suggests that complaints about being busy are at an all time high in America, but that evidence of actual work getting done is lacking.

People say they are busy, and they may be quite busy, but relatively little is being accomplished by all this busyness. For too many, working long hours has become a substitute for working effectively. In many companies, those who work long hours are honored as martyrs, while those who work shorter hours (even if they accomplish more) may be belittled as lazy. It is a shame that this is happening in the business world, it is worse yet when it spills over into the church.

With Christians there are two things almost sure to be neglected when we begin to honor busyness.

Prayer will be neglected. From a human point-of-view it is counter-intuitive, but if there is a big and important job to be done, we should NOT get busy on it right away. We should pray before starting, while working, and after we have finished working on it. We may find that we will not be as busy, but we might be more effective, and we certainly will have been more faithful.

Preparation will also be neglected. The kind-hearted person who sets up a doctor’s office without “wasting time” going to medical school will soon be in deep trouble with the law. He may argue that he needs to get busy saving lives now, but his claim will not be heeded. Those who are too hasty sometimes take on work for which they are ill-prepared. They will likely stay very busy; but great harm may be the result. With regard to the medical profession there are clear guidelines to protect us from the hasty. Within some circles in the church, the practice of appointing the ill-prepared is an honored tradition. But it is one against which the scriptures warn (1 Tim 3:10; 5:22).

Dead Unto Sin

Bradley Wright is a sociology professor at the University of Connecticut. He admits to having that common problem of overdoing certain behaviors. It is not a sin to eat an occasional dish of ice cream, but he found himself eating too much, too often. He tried to practice moderation, but it did not work. Then he made an interesting discovery. He explains it this way,

“In actuality, abstention is usually easier than moderation.
“How can this be? As I understand how the brain works, it loses neural connections underlying a behavior once we stop doing that behavior. Use it or lose it. Moderation keeps brain circuits active. Abstention lets them atrophy.” (quote taken from an email newsletter, emphasis is in the original)

It is easier to give up a harmful or dangerous behavior completely than it is to practice it in moderation. If we attempt to cut back on sin, we keep the neural connections that cause us to desire it alive, and there is virtually no chance of success. If we consider ourselves “dead unto sin” (Rom 6:11) the connections begin to atrophy, and we have a much better chance of success.

Too many of us are trying to walk the tight rope, or to skirt the edge of the canyon. Instead we should be getting as far away from sin as possible. We should “put to death therefore what is earthly” in us (Col 3:5). We should “make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires” (Rom 13:14).

As a preacher in my hometown used to say, “Too many people have just enough Christianity to make them miserable.” He was right. Half-way Christianity is no fun. It does not work. Go all out for the Lord or you will never find success or happiness in your faith.