There is the story of a young bride who was preparing a holiday meal. As she was getting the ham ready to go in the oven, she cut off the ends off of the ham. Her husband, being the curious soul that he was, asked her why she cut the ends off. Her mother had always done it that way, but she really didn’t know why, and so she called her mom and asked her why she cut off the ends of ham. Her mother replied, “because that’s the way momma did it.” Well now she was really curious, and so she called her grandmother and asked why she cut off the ends of the ham. Her grandmother replied: “that’s the only way it will fit in my roasting pan.” Sometimes, we are just like this. We do some things, but don’t really know why we do them.
In his book “Start With Why”, Simon Sinek describes a process for effective decision making that he calls the “Golden Circle”. In the outmost circle is WHAT, in the middle is HOW, and in the innermost circle is WHY.
Mr. Sinek asserts that most businesses and individuals approach decision making by first considering what they want to do, then figuring out how they want to do it, but few are able to clearly articulate WHY they want to do what they do.
While it may not matter with the small stuff, this approach is not only not inefficient, but when approaching life this way, we can end up doing a lot of things that are a waste of time, and in some cases, even hurtful.
Why do you get out of bed each morning?
Why do you go to worship every Lord’s Day?
Why do you choose to love, honor, and obey your husband?
Why do you sometimes do without, so that you can give to your children?
Why do you do what you do?
Sadly, there are occasions when my WHY gets a little out of focus. Does that ever happen to you?
When I ponder 1 Peter 1:3-5, I am reminded WHY I do what I do.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5
Christ has extended great mercy to me.
Because I have been born again, I’ve been given a living hope, when I previously had none. My living hope sustains me, when otherwise, I would feel quite hopeless.
I have an inheritance waiting for me. It is being guarded in heaven and no one can touch it or take it away from me. There is so much more to this life than what meets the eye. I desire a better country. This world is not my home.
This is WHY I do what I do.
Why do you do what you do?
