“A 360, a 180, or a 1?”
I’m not good with numbers, but I am fascinated with words. On the other hand, sometimes I get excited even by numbers.
Take the expression, “doing a 180,” for example. Sometimes people talk about a radical change as “doing a 360”. However, if you do a 360°, all you’ve done is a circle. You’re right back where you began. So, unless I’m missing something (always a possibility), I think that a radical change is doing a 180.
As our Bible study guide pointed out last night, the Hebrew word teshuvah means “to turn”. Interestingly, this Hebrew word for repentance is also the word for apostasy! It all depends on which direction you are turning. Are you turning away from sin and toward God (repentance), or are you turning away from God to go your own way (apostasy)?
Now, I freely admit that I get lost easily. This is true whether you’re talking about traveling geographically or in terms of life itself. There are times when a 180 is precisely what I need to do.
However, why should I wait until I’m that lost? Why not seek to live so that, if I get even a little off the path, I allow God to make me aware? Why not repent quickly, before I’ve done a lot of damage to myself, other people, God’s loving and tender heart?
So, my goal is to get it down to 1°, to repent quickly, not to wait until I’m crazy way lost.
I can’t be among the one-percenters when it comes to material wealth. Never really wanted to be. Don’t now. But the one-degree-ers—now that is a worthy goal.
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