Someone has asked, “Would the boy you once were be proud of the man you are now?” This may be a troubling question for some of us. Of course, no one is perfect in this world of ours. Each of us has failed in some way. Most of us are ashamed of something we have said or done.
There once was a young teenager. He began smoking and was soon up to one pack of cigarettes each day. Then he began drinking two years later. He went from beer to liquor, and by the time he hit his late teens he was drinking alone, in bars, at work, and looked forward to the weekend only to get drunk -- a fifth of Rye every time.
Drink and drive? Sure! He came close to killing himself, his passengers and innocent people in other cars. At age twenty-three, he gave up drinking and smoking, breaking away from old friends: they were negative influences.
The apostle Paul writes, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Sometimes it takes drastic measures to break bad habits.
In his late twenties, he went to a church-sponsored singles retreat. Looking around the room for the prettiest girl, he saw only her eyes from across the room. He worked his way over. She is still in his life! They have a couple of great children and two small granddaughters. God blessed him!
Not many years ago, he was telling someone about all the money he has saved during the forty-five years since his last cigarette and final drink (not to mention a couple of illicit substances).
His wife chimed in, saying, “If I had met you back then, I would not have been interested.” Whoa! That twould have been his greatest loss in life.
Looking at the big picture, however, there is no one and nothing in this world worth having without having Jesus in your life. Paul again writes, “I count all things (as worth nothing) in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8).
The Psalmist writes, “Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
Which of your bad habits is worth keeping, but losing Jesus?