Agent of Change

(Pro 6:21 KJV) Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

How do you “bind” (7194) something like a commandment?  The Jews decided that one way to reinforce the word was to take written portions and literally tie them to their bodies.  Like many physical gestures, it can help but the danger is that the ritual replaces the reality.  The key to this is found in the previous verse where be are told to keep the commandments.  By keeping them we eventually build up what athletes call muscle memory.  We get to the place where we react automatically in many situations.

It is called a habit.  I have developed the habit of pulling my bed together in the morning.  At first I had to remind myself.  Now it has become almost automatic.  Many of the expectations God has for us can be built in that way.  Don’t confuse this discipline with the necessary work of grace through the Holy Spirit.  It is an application made possible by that grace.

So?  We all have areas of life that need improvement.  It might be something as obvious as anger.  It might be subtle enough that only you know.  It will not change unless you become an agent of that change.