Put One Foot in Front of the Other

I wrote all morning yesterday, and am making serious headway in my sequel to The Bark of the Covenant ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LNA7T4G).I have found that I will do almost anything to avoid the hard work of just getting started, but once I force myself to sit down and start writing...something...anything...I usually don't want to stop. I have to force myself to stand up and stop writing.

Strange, isn't it?

This is true in almost every endeavor in life that is hard and involves work and commitment. It is often very true in character change. My first impulse is not always my most noble. Jesus spoke of this tendency so I bet I am not alone in this. He told a parable of a man with two sons who he asked to go work in the fields. One said no, but later changed his mind and did the work in the end. The other said yes, but then didn't follow through and do the work. The one who put off doing the right thing, but in the end did it, was better than the one who acted righteous but it was empty boasts. It is not a perfect example of my "blank sheet writing problem" of procrastination, but it is still helpful.

Our natural inclination to avoid hard things, even when we know it is the right thing to do is not laudable. But it is worse to say, "Sure sure sure, I'll do it" in efforts to look good before others, or get someone off your back....but then not do it. So if you know you should pray more, say a  prayer right now! If you know you should read the Bible more, read a verse right now. If you know you should repent, do it right now! If you know you should ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, do it right now!If you know your goals are worthy but you just can't seem to begin, take the first step now. In the words of Kris Kringle in Santa Clause is Coming to Town, "Put one foot in front of the other, And soon you'll be walking out the door!"

In fact, the discussion between the monster Winter and Kris Kringle in the classic cartoon makes my point perfectly:

Winter: I really am a mean, and despicable creature at heart you know. It's difficult to [sniff] really change.
Kris: Difficult? [chuckles] Why, why look here, changing from bad to good is as easy as taking your first step.
[Chorus]
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking 'cross the floor.
You put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door.
You never will get where you're going
If ya never get up on your feet.
Come on, there's a good tail wind blowin'
A fast walking man is hard to beat.
[Chorus]
If you want to change your direction,
If your time of life is at hand,
Well, don't be the rule, be the exception
A good way to start is to stand.
[Chorus]
Winter: If I want to change the reflection
I see in the mirror each morn...
Kris: Oh, you do.
Winter: You mean that it's just my election?
Kris: Just that.
Winter: To vote for a chance to be reformed? Woo-hoo!

Take it from someone who faces this every time I sit down to a blank sheet of paper or a blank canvas: just get started. It is the hardest part of almost any task, spiritual or not.

***********

Matthew 21: 28-32

28“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29“ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.