Just Do It - Martin Wiles

But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.” Judges 14:3 NLT

I tired of the rules—and wanted to break them.

From my earliest memories, I knew the rules. Mom and Dad taught them to me on a regular basis, and grandparents, along with teachers at school and at church, reinforced them. Don’t lie, steal, curse, smoke, drink, chew, or hang around with those who do. Don’t sass your parents. Keep Sunday holy. Overall, just be a good boy. Love God and do what the Bible says. That seemed like a lot of rules. And don’t question them. Just do them.

That philosophy worked well until I reached fourteen years of age, by which time I had tired of the rules governing my life. Some of them I had no problem with, but some I wanted to buck. Well, outright throw out the window. And I did. Before long, I found myself disobeying the ones I initially had no problem with. Somewhat like a domino effect.

Seven long years passed before I finally came around to seeing that doing it my way wasn’t the way to go after all.

Samson, one of Israel’s judges during their dark period in history, had the same problem. God instructed his mom to dedicate him as a Nazarite from birth. He could not cut his hair, drink alcohol, or touch dead bodies.

Nor was he supposed to marry foreign women who would influence him with their pagan lifestyles. When he found one he wanted to marry, he told his father he didn’t care about the vows any longer. He wanted the woman.

I had the same problem Samson had when it came to rules: I didn’t think before I acted. Not doing so always led to trouble for both of us. Thinking leads to emotions which lead to actions. And acting on emotions often brings unwanted consequences. Acting on what God says is right or wrong leads to a healthier lifestyle.

Just doing what we want leads to a reckless lifestyle, as it did with Samson—and me. I did what I wanted, regardless of whom it hurt, me included. Life became about me and doing what I wanted, not what God desired.

Just doing it—whatever it is—also ruins our example when the it runs counter to God’s commands. Telling someone God loves them proves difficult when our lives don’t align with His directives.

Just doing it might seem fun at the time, but in the end, disaster follows. Make up your mind to do what God wants. You will never regret the decision.

Prayer: Father, give us the fortitude to just do what You say.

Tell us about some things you made up your mind to do. 

Tweetable: What are you not doing but should? 

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