Why Didn’t You Wake Me Up?
Monday, July 30, 2007 at 07:26AM 
“I myself will awake early.” Psalms 108:2
It’s a familiar scene: you oversleep and miss an important appointment. You stayed up too late the night before, morning light has not yet seeped through the window, and the soft, warm bed is just too cozy. Suddenly, the realization that you are going to be late rudely interrupts your glorious rest. Unfortunate sleepyhead that you are, you then bolt upright, rush around furiously brushing teeth, combing hair, ransacking drawers for socks or belts, and venting frustration at other people in the house for letting it happen.
“Why did you let me sleep?” you charge. “You knew I had to get up at six!” It’s hard for the rest of the household not to feel guilty when the barrage starts.
“I don’t know, dear. I thought you knew…I thought you were up…I got busy watering the flowers…I’m sorry…”
Come on. The truth is that the responsibility to roll out of bed belongs to you alone. If help is needed, alarm clocks have been around for a long time, and they’re not that hard to operate. Failure to get up in the morning lies with one’s own laziness, lack of motivation and indolent attitude. But, rather than admit such character flaws, it’s much easier to blame everybody else. The slothful man only has himself to blame. “[As] the door turneth upon his hinges, so [doth] the slothful upon his bed.” Proverbs. 26:14. In the same vein, several other basic truths to life need to be mentioned as well.
Learn to talk. Quit growling, grunting and slurring. Speak up, say it right, say it kindly.
Learn to Read. Not how to read, but the practice of reading. Know what’s going on in the world. The more you know, the more interesting you become. Learn new words. If you don’t use them, at least understand them.
Get a job and keep it. “And that ye…do your own business, and to work with your own hands.” 1Thessalonians 4:11 . “…If any would not work, neither should he eat.” II Thessalonians 3:10
Use manners. “Manners are of more importance than laws…Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by a constant, steady, uniform, insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe in.” Edmund Burke. “Please”, “thank you” and “excuse me” still work. Respect and courtesy still work. Consider the feelings of others.
Be on time. When you are late, you are stealing from the other person’s time.
Don’t expect special privileges. “For I say…not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 Earn your keep. Only God gives us grace.
Keep your word. You will never be taken seriously unless you keep your word. “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” James 5:12
Tell the truth. “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” Romans 12:17 “Walk honestly toward them that are without.” 1Thessalonians 4:12
Pay your bills. You are the only one who is responsible for your debts. If you cannot control your credit cards, tear them up. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8. This means denying yourself luxuries you can’t afford. You live a lie when you pamper yourself with things you can’t pay for. For momentary pleasure, you ruin your peace of mind.
Don’t freeload. Human parasites cost somebody money. Don’t force someone to throw you out on your ear, and then complain that they are so mean.
Stop wasting time . TV, videos, trashy magazines and books waste time as well as cause moral and spiritual harm. Stop other non-productive activities such as excessive day-dreaming, addiction to games and general laziness.
What’s the bottom line? Stop counting on others to wake you up, prop you up, pick you up or pump you up. Do the basic tasks that life requires. As long as you continue to manufacture truckloads of excuses to cover your faults and failures instead of addressing the real problem, you will never win. God’s word places the responsibility for yourself on your own shoulders. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” II Corinthians 13:5
Reader Comments (1)
Holy cow, this is a great way to start our morning, this afternoon,
And my boyfriend said after I read this A loud "SHAZAM I think ill have another cup of coffe"