Greed, laziness and vanity.

These are behaviours we often tolerate. Maybe we justify them so we don’t have to change. Or maybe we just don’t know HOW to change.

That’s why it can be helpful to starve them!

Greed, laziness and vanity are like the proverbial monster under the bed from children’s books. The more you feed and indulge them, the bigger and hungrier they get!

You can’t solve greed, laziness or vanity by being more greedy, lazy or vain. You just make them bigger and scarier in your life.

So that’s where the starving comes in.

For example, if you’re prone to greed, you need to write a list of 25 things you’re thankful for every day for a week. Seriously. If that’s you, get a pen and paper. Or maybe you need to NOT BUY ANYTHING outside of bare necessities for a month.

In other words, starve the beast of greed!

If you’re prone to laziness, you need to make a list of 5 ways to help or serve your neighbours in a practical way this week. And then do it.

In other words, starve the beast of laziness!

And if you’re prone to vanity, intentionally post a horrible picture of yourself on social media.

In other words, starve the beast of vanity!

1 John 1:8 (ESV) says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

What broken behaviour do you have within you that you pretend isn’t there? Be honest. Then do three things:

1. Identify it.
2. Ask yourself: Do I REALLY want to grow?
3. If the answer is yes, ask God to help you.

Don’t feed the beast. Starve it.

By Matthew Ruttan