Before I Can Do, First I Must Be

   I read that quote in a book called The Winner's Manual by Jim Tressel, and it got me to thinking about my own life. Having just graduated and having answered the question: "So what's next?" with "I'm not sure yet" I don't know how many times, the reality of this statement is actually fairly comforting. So often in life we try to put the cart before the horse. It's not that the cart is not important, but rather that most things work best in a certain order. (Just ask my dad about his website sometime.)
   This idea of  "being" is not for bragging rights though. If that is all we are working toward is people looking and thinking highly of us we have missed the boat. Often times people will think highly of us as a result but that is just an added by product. The point of self-improvement is to become the best we are capable of becoming. It's the idea of daily pushing ourselves to be a little bit better. Not better than the guy next to us. Better than the one we see everyday in the mirror.
   Something that my parents instilled in us from a very early age first by example and then by encouragement that helped us kids to achieve that was three very simple but pretty life changing things when applied daily. The first is to read the Bible everyday. What better way can we learn about our Heavenly Father and His Son who died so we could have a hope of eternity with Him than by going to His inspired Word to find out His will for our lives? Through it we find out how God has commanded us to live... it's not optional if we want the rewards... but the rewards are incredible even if they don't prove to have immediate gratification.  
   The next thing is to pray often about everything. There are so many different things to pray about so I can actually save it for another day, but just a few that have made an impact on me are: pray for God's will to be done ~ who knows better what we need than the Creator Himself? Pray for wisdom, not only that we'll have it but that we will use it well. Give thanks and praise for the answers and daily blessings God gives.
   Third be with the church as often as you can. Find the place where you can worship as close to how the Bible teaches and go to all the worship services you can make as well as spend as much time with brethren as you can. Yes we still have to go out into the world to teach, but being with fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ helps keep us from becoming of the world.
   Like I said above these things don't necessarily make you better than the person next to you, but they are pretty much guaranteed to make you better than you were today. It's a gradual process. Like planting an oak tree today and understanding that it will not be full grown tomorrow. It's an investment for your future and the future's of those you will inevitably touch.

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever! Amen" ~2 Peter 3:18