The Bible for Self Improvement
Action over Iteration
I can only imagine what it's like to never walk again.
Over 50 years ago, one of my favorite uncles was paralyzed as a young man.
He fell from a tree in a tragic accident trying to save a stuck cat.
There was something special about my Uncle Pablo. (May he Rest in Peace).
He was prepared to take action.
He always had the coolest gadgets to help him with whatever he needed.
He drove by himself, navigated up and down a few stairs, and even had what my son would call a "grappling hook" to grab things that were too high on the the refrigerator.
He didn't let his disability define him.
But I imagine he would do almost anything to walk again.
Much like my uncle, who once had the freedom to walk, there is a man in the Bible who faced a similar disability
I imagine he too was once able to walk.
But now he was stuck by the Pool of Bethesda, waiting for a miracle.
The Pool of Bethesda was known as a place where miraculous healings occurred, attracting those who were desperate for hope.
He carried 38 years of desperation and during that time,
he went through different iterations of how he could be healed.
His only hope was to sit by this pool and pray for healing.
And yet, nothing ever happened.
Can you imagine the disappointment that settled in, day after day and year after year, as hope flickered like a distant candle?
One day Jesus approached the man, asking if he wanted to be healed.
The man gave an interesting answer.
He didn't say yes or no. He said, "While I try to heal myself, someone else beats me to it."
So now he had to keep trying.
Jesus does His thing like He always does.
He says, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk."
And the most impressive part?
The man doesn't hesitate.
He responds immediately to Jesus’ command.
He doesn't come up with a plan for how he's going to be carried to the pool.
His faith at that moment is strong enough to dismiss 38 years of failure.
His muscles and nerves had atrophied to the point of no return.
And in an instant, he was changed.
How often do we hear God's voice after struggling and try to work out solutions in our head to problems He's already solved?
My uncle Pablo didn’t get another opportunity to walk again, but it didn’t keep him from taking action when he heard God’s voice.
If we act in his will, we will be taken care of.
The math isn't always going to add up.
but when we hear God's voice telling us what to do, it's important to remember to take action over iteration.
-G. Banks