Quiet Time: Just Say No

Just Say No

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

 - 1 Corinthians 9:27

Back in the 80s there was an anti-drug use campaign that used the slogan “Just Say No”. According to government statistics it was, for the most part, a failure. "Effective resistance strategies go beyond repeating simplistic slogans at kids,'" says Michael Hecht, professor of communication at Penn State. However, it’s hard to argue the catchiness of the catch phrase; even the illicit drug culture used it as a wry joke. But, learning to just say, “No”, isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Christ followers to practice. As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul seemed to practice saying it quite regularly.

Paul sacrificed self-will and practiced saying no to his fleshly desires, not because they were bad per se’, but because he considered himself a spiritual athlete who was competing as an example to others. He reminded himself daily that there’s nothing wrong with, “No”. He said that he disciplined (literally “bruised”) his body and made it his slave.

It looks to me like too many of us have become slaves of passion. If we want it, we get it, and we get it a lot! So, we suffer from weight gain, alcoholism, and frivolous living. If we don't start telling ourselves, "no" more often, we may become a less creditable witness for Christ. I wonder if we’d grow spiritually, if we began to stand up to our desires and simply said, “No”?

“No” may not get me what I want, but it will probably give me what I need; self control.