JUNE 5, 2013
More
Than Information
Read: John
15:1-13
Abide in Me, and I in you. —John
15:4
How
is behavior altered? In his book The Social Animal, David Brooks notes
that some experts have said
people just need to be taught the long-term risks
of bad behavior. For example,
he writes: “Smoking can lead to cancer. Adultery
destroys families, and lying
destroys trust. The assumption was that once you
reminded people of the
foolishness of their behavior, they would be motivated
to stop. Both reason and
will are obviously important in making moral decisions
and exercising
self-control. But neither of these character models has proven
very effective.”
In other words, information alone is not powerful enough to
transform behavior.
As
Jesus’ followers, we want to grow and change spiritually. More than two
millennia ago, Jesus told His disciples how that can happen. He said, “Abide
in
Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides
in
the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). Jesus is
the
Vine and we, His followers, are the branches. If we’re honest, we know
we’re
utterly helpless and spiritually ineffective apart from Him.
Jesus
transforms us spiritually and reproduces His life in us—as we abide in
Him.
Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride;
I now surrender, Lord—in me abide. —Orr
A change in behavior begins with Jesus changing our heart.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
