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June and I were on a road trip; we’d been driving all day and were nearing our hotel, but we weren’t sure which exit to take. One map program said one thing and another app said another. So we pulled off the road for a minute to evaluate our options. One option was to get off the interstate sooner but drive longer into town. Another kept us on the interstate longer with a bit of a double-back into town. What to do? What to do? Finally, June said, “You know, in the amount of time you’ve been analyzing this, we could have been driving and either option would have gotten us there!”

She was right, of course. I wasted more time in analysis than I saved, even if I knew what the better option was!

Sometimes, we just need to act. Sometimes, especially in men’s Bible studies (I don’t know about women’s for obvious reasons), people seem to think that they get credit for discussing the meaning of the scripture. But the scriptures themselves decry that approach. We need to act!

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)

[Jesus said, ] “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7.24 – 27, NIV, emphasis mine)

But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. (Matthew 7.26, MSG)