Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." John
8:34
"I hate being late," my friend lamented. "It has been a problem for me all my
life."
"Do you really want to change that?" I asked.
"Yes, I do."
"All right. Every time you are late to work or anywhere else where you have
committed to be at a particular time you must give me $25." "No way!" My friend
responded. "I would go broke! But I will do $10." "All right, $10 it is. It has
to be a large enough amount of money for it to hurt your pocketbook."
"Believe me, that will hurt," my friend said. About a month later my friend
found great motivation to be on time to every place she had to be. In the first
week, I got only $10 from my friend. The next week, $20. The third week,
nothing. By the fifth week, my friend had changed a lifelong habit that had
hindered her all her life. In order for my friend not to be resentful of me for
the money she had to give, we put it in a jar to be given to some other
Christian cause. This ensured my motive was only for her best interest.
Some might be reading this now and say it is legalism. For my friend it was
freedom. For the first time she had some means of changing a behavior that had
caused her problems in relationships and her own work habits. Psychologists tell
us that it takes 21 days to form a habit. So, if you need to change some habit,
you need to be actively engaged in that new behavior at least 21 days. My friend
needed help to change a habit she didn't like about herself. It took another
individual to hold her accountable, and it took a potential loss of something to
provide the added incentive.
A successful businessman was experiencing a difficult marriage. When counseling
the couple over dinner one night, a friend of mine noticed that the man often
criticized his wife. After further counsel it was determined the man simply
could not love his wife. My friend asked him if he truly wanted to see change in
his marriage. When the man said he did, my friend said, "Every time you
criticize your wife you must agree to give me $100." This man was well-off and
needed substantial incentive to change his behavior. After the man rebelled and
retorted, he agreed in front of his wife. A few weeks later a report came back
that things were changing. This man did not want to write any checks to my
friend. Although it was a competitive game to the man, it was also yielding some
positive changes in his marriage. He began to acquire the habit of avoiding
criticism of his wife, which was killing her spirit.
What are the habits that keep you from becoming all that God may want you to
become? Do you desire change enough to be accountable in a way that it costs you
something when you fail? Ask a friend to hold you accountable in an area that
needs change. You will find new freedom as you conquer old besetting habits.
Excerpted with permission from the book TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman,
copyright 2000, Destiny Image Publishers, Reprinted by permission. For free
daily email subscription to TGIF Today God Is First marketplace meditations,
visit www.marketplaceleaders.org
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