[273 words]
In 2006 the Federal government did something rather unusual, they repealed a tax. This was a three percent federal charge on long-distance phone calls. It was about time. The original purpose of the tax was to help fund American efforts in the Spanish-American War, which ran from April to August of 1898! The war lasted only four months; the tax lasted more than a century.
Taxes are like that. They last a lot longer than they were supposed to. This one was originally thought to affect only wealthy people since back then they were the only ones that had phones, but it hung around long after that fact changed as well.
Habits are like that as well. We might start a habit with a good reason, yet over time that reason fades away but the behavior stays. For instance, missing the assembly of the church. We might have an illness or a conflict that keeps us away for a time, yet when that hindrance disappears our attendance doesn’t pick back up. Or else, we might stop teaching because we don’t have time, yet when the schedule clears up we never go back to that good work. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, “let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
Don’t let bad habits linger. What we think might not be a big cost to us will become one when we don’t end it as soon as we can.
Barry Haynes
Hope church of Christ
Hope, AR