First Things First

I was sure something (or someone) had died.

The smell in our house continued to grow. I checked under the stove. Nothing. I checked in the vent of the microwave. Nothing. I checked my sock drawer. Nothing.

Hoping for some fresh air, my wife and I opened the windows and prayed the smell would go away. But the next day it was back again….with a vengeance. What could it be?

Finally after 3 days of “airing out the house” I checked the basement. It seems our freezer had thrown a breaker, possibly weeks before, and the smell was coming from inside. I think I’m permanently scarred as I cleaned out the “food” later that night. (On a side note, I perfectly understand if you keep your distance from me for a few weeks).

Within a few days our house was back to smelling “so fresh and so clean (insert Outkast lyrics here for you late 90’s early 2000’s hip hop fans).

It’s amazing what happens when you find the root of the problem. Things actually change. It’s also amazing what a few rotten turkeys and some foul (pun intended) chicken breasts can teach you.

It’s funny, when we see a problem (either within ourselves or in our communities) we want to start by opening the windows and “airing out the house.” We choose the quickest approach to change. Unfortunately, although the problem may lessen for a bit, there is still food rotting in the basement.

Although we don’t like to admit it in the fitness industry, behavioral change is not the first key to losing weight or getting in shape. We can try all the diets and workout programs we’d like but it’s not where lasting transformation begins.

The same applies to our spiritual lives. It’s not uncommon to see someone who is determined to become a “better person” begin to make behavioral changes. They try to change the way they speak, what they drink or try to make it church on Sunday mornings.

But regardless if it’s a physical or spiritual change, the inevitable happens. Will-power runs out, old habits begin to creep back in and before you know, we are left asking ourselves the same old questions, “Who Am I really? Why can’t I change? What’s wrong with me?”

Lasting change, true transformation, begins in the renewal of the mind. We must begin to change the way we think and what we believe first, and then the rest follows.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you have to “fake it until you make it” and put action first. Often times simply by starting the process of exercise, nutritional change or even prayer will get us on the right track. But if we don’t take the next step, or start there, we are essentially just “airing out the house.”

We can try to be healthier by making better food choices and exercising and it will work for a while. We can try to be a Christian by following all the rules and trying to do the right thing. But at the end of the day, transformation begins in our hearts and minds.

Unfortunately, changing an action is easy (to a point). Changing a belief or thought process is hard work. It doesn’t just happen by picking up a few different items at the grocery store. It’s a daily decision that might actually be a little bit more about seeking the Creator and a little bit less about trying to change His creation on our own.

Since the rotten part of our house is gone, the air in our house is more fresh than ever. The same goes for me and you. Start on the inside, BE transformed and watch the rest change with you. Let’s keep first things first.

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