Getting over false advertising …

“Six pack abs in threes minutes a day …”

“Change your professional life in five minutes a day …”

“Transform your relationships in just 10 minutes per day …”

” … and get total fitness in just 20 minutes a day, only three days a week!”

And so go the advertisements boasting all kinds of sweeping changes we can have in our lives in just a matter of minutes per day.

Nonsense!

Real, from the inside-out life transformation doesn’t happen by tinkering with your issues or interests just a few minutes a day. But when we’re sitting on the couch, wishing things were different, the ads sound good, especially if answers can be purchased with a credit card plus an extra 10 percent off if you simply call within the next 10 minutes.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the ads are not true!

More than a majority of Americans made New Year resolutions. Most of these resolutions have something to do with changing who they are as a person. It’s estimated only eight percent of the people will achieve their resolutions. Why? People quickly discover the promises for quick, easy change aren’t true.

Neither are the claims from many church leaders that if you give God just a few minutes a day, your spiritual life will be transformed into “Super Christian.”

The truth is, if you want to be someone you currently are not, you will have to do every ounce of work to make the change.

If you want to get physically fit, you will have to do the work in the areas of nutrition, exercise (both cardio and muscular conditioning), and rest, or you will not achieve lasting results that are healthy for you.

If you want to fix and improve relationships, you’re going to have to put in the time and effort, on a consistent basis, to create change.

And if you want to be a genuine disciple of Christ, you will have to give up your selfish ways, take up your own cross on a daily basis, and follow Jesus every single day (Luke 9:23).

The truth is far different from the advertising!

The first step is deciding what you really want. That’s why most people remain on the couch, or jump at the claims for shortcuts … because they know what they wish, but they know even better they aren’t willing to work for it.

That’s the second step. Change only happens when you’re willing to pay the price and do the work for it. In fact, there’s not a lot that cannot be accomplished if you truly commit yourself to doing what it takes. This is highlighted in a fascinating story in the Bible, found in Genesis 11:1-9:

“At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began saying to each other, ‘Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.’ (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, ‘Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.’ But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.’ In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.”

Notice when the Babylonians were focused and intent on what they wanted to do, were willing to do the hard work involved, and were willing to work together for it, they would be unstoppable! Unfortunately, their efforts were toward self-glorification, which is why God intervened and put a stop to what could have been a “success” of their efforts.

Becoming that man or woman of God is not about a few minutes in the Bible on a daily basis, or a few extra minutes for prayer. In fact, it’s not about making God a part of your life. It’s about making God your life! Genuine Christian faith doesn’t “include” God, it’s walking with God throughout your day, it’s God being a part of everything you think, every relationship you have, everything you do. Instead of including God into your day, real Christianity is about including all the things of your day into your life with God!

Being just a little different takes just a little work. Changing your life … developing your talent, building skills, deepening relationships, developing character, expanding knowledge, growing in wisdom, giving and receiving love … all take a commitment of your whole self. That takes time and effort, but worth every minute spent and every drop of sweat.

Like most people, you’ve probably identified changes you would like in your life this year. What’s your plan for making those changes happen? Are you going to tinker at them, or do what takes to turn dreams into reality?

Scotty