Challenge Yourself: Slow Down

As people, we are all about going fast, especially us Americans. 3G and 4G networking, fast cars, fast food, quick commercials, losing weight fast, reading the Bible in 90 days, or just power walking. We don't really ever slow down, which can cause stress. A lot of the time, we are rambunctious in our actions, and we go into situations not really knowing what to do because we just want to get out of the situation quickly as possible.

If you have read the first installments of "Challenge Yourself", you will know I took a trip to Jamaica for spring break. Let me tell you, their lifestyle is SLOW. There's nothing quick about them. Their motto is "No Problems". Seriously. I got a foot long pen there, and it says "No Problems" on it. They're easy-living, full of life, and rich in character, despite the country they live in. We went out to eat five times while in Jamaica. In America, we are in and out of a restaurant in forty-five minutes or less. In Jamaica, it took us over two and a half hours each time. It's not that they are bad workers and can't get anything done. They just don't believe in going fast. At all. Not in anything they do. They were some of the nicest and most free-spirited people I have ever been around.

I think going a little bit slower eases the stress. Many believe that, but don't live by it. I sure don't. I'm impatient, and I'll admit it. Whenever I go to an amusement park such as Six Flags or Disney World, I don't want to wait an hour and a half for a forty-five second ride. I don't even want to wait twenty minutes. We normally purchase a ticket for the "Fast Track" and cut in front of everyone else. 

This hub is just a reminder to slow down and soak in the fruits of life. Thank God for another day of life on Earth, because you never know when you leave. Life isn't all that bad, and if you go too quickly, the next thing you know, you're a parent wondering where your childhood went (not that I'd know anything about that yet). 

Whenever you read this hub, my challenge for you is to drive a little slower, walk a little slower, and take a look around you. Take notice of the world you are living in. Chances are, you have a good life. Be thankful for the place you are living. If Jamaicans are thankful and happy all the time, then we definitely should feel the same.

This challenge is sort of divided into two parts. In the second part, I'd like to talk about reading the Bible, and reading it effectively. 

If you take on the challenge to read the Bible in 90 days, don't just skim over it. If you are going to read it in 90 days, actually read it. You are just wasting your time if you are just reading words and not comprehending half of them. I have struggled with the same thing in the past, and I know it can be difficult.

Also, I'd like to talk about something many don't ever really want to discuss. Several of us think this, and I know it. To many of us, the Bible can seem kind of dry. The repetition, the simple sentence structure, and the place in time is something that really wears us down and oftentimes, we can't really relate to it. With the authors we have today such as James Patterson, John Grisham, Lee Child, and Stephen King, they all try to draw you into the story. In Biblical times, it wasn't really like that. It is more of speaking to all the people, rather than just a single reader.

In Psalms, the poetry can seem kind of boring, mainly because it is written for parallelism, rather than a rhyme scheme. Our generation is used to rhyming with smooth writing, and the Bible is often interpreted as short, choppy sentences. Back then, this was the most beautiful writing anyone had ever seen. The meaning of the poems were parallel to one another, and that's what drew the reader's attention in those times. Throughout time, writing has changed completely. Literature revolutionists such as Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allen Poe, and C.S. Lewis have shaped different generations, and different generations have different interests in writing. That's how it is with pretty much everything. My generation is all about texting, Twitter, Facebook, television, and things like that. My grandparents don't even own a computer. They would rather read a book or work in the garden, or mow the grass, or some other form of manual labor, which I don't understand.

My point is, most of us choose not to read the Bible because of the writing style. We have attracted to other styles, and the Bible is seen as poor writing. My encouragement for you is to see past the writing and search for the meaning in every passage. Sure, there are words in there we never use anymore, and the time period is 2,000 years off from us, but try to gain something out of it, because in reality, the Bible is the only book that will benefit you the most in the entire world. I have struggled with this, and I really struggled when I first started reading the Bible. I even have troubles now at times.

God isn't really focused on the writing style. He's focused on the meaning, and that's what really counts. We are so busy and so technologically advanced that our attention spans have decreased dramatically. In the 70s, advertisements would last about two and a half minutes. Now? At most, they last thirty seconds. Over time, writing has changed according to our attention spans. Writers are sweating over each and every sentence to make it perfect so we will read the entire thing. We are, in fact, coming to the point where we don't even read anymore. Books are being turned into movies, and we think, "Oh, well the movie is coming out soon, so why would I read it?" That's not the way it should be.

My two challenges for you today: Slow down, and try to focus on the meaning of the Scripture. I hope this is an advantage to you, and I hope you have accepted my challenge. The next part of "Challenge Yourself" will be about having a plan, and sticking to it. Be sure to look for that here in the next two or three days. God bless you all.

The Donkey