The Gap

This is Water

http://youtu.be/QiyY4t7WbnU

People think,

• When I get older, I’ll get better;
• I’ll never do what my parents do;
• I’m better than that guy
• The world is a terrible place full of stupid people

However, we don’t often look at ourselves for the fix.

Romans 7:14-25

New International Version (NIV)

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[b] a slave to the law of sin

There is this huge gap between the imaginary person that we think we are or will become and the person reflected through our actions. Our day is full of choices. There are two ways we make decisions.

1. When we make a choice, we don’t think of how we look to the world when we do the action, but we decide out of our own selfishness.

2. Habits- In the American Journal of Psychology it is defined in this way: "A habit, from the standpoint of psychology, is a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience.

Muhammad Ali

What does he mean? As we grow, we should see things differently.

Is that good or bad for habits? As we change our habits keep us from fully changing.

Changing a habit is like erasing a sharpie mark. It’s difficult. It’s easier to make new habits. It takes thirty days for a decision to turn into a habit (doing something everyday for thirty days usually makes it a habit).

You’re not going to wake up when you turn eighteen and become a responsible adult. There are plenty of people my age (21), who still act like they are thirteen. The decisions you make today should be based on who you aspire to be; the best part of yourself. It’s almost like acting because you have to forget yourself and try to be someone new, someone you will like and respect more.

This is Water video- David Foster Wallace made that speech at a graduation. He has written many books award winnings books that would be good to read. He thought theologically without wanting to, and called it philosophy. He committed suicide. Why is this important. I live with the idea of constant improvement. Wallace also did; however, he lacked the love that comes from God. That love makes things immensely better and without it there is a God-sized hole in everything. The idea of constant improvement is great, but not the right size to fill the hole.