Nike’s slogan is known throughout the world. Its ubiquity can cause it to lose some effectiveness. But, if we sit and think about it, “Just Do It” can be really solid advice.
It’s probably not good advice when we’re staring temptation in the face.
“It’s just three or four slices of pizza. I know you ran today and have been eating better. But it’s only some dough, sauce, cheese and greasy pepperoni. It’s not that big of a deal. Just do it.”
(I used that as an example because I had a meeting last night and there was pizza. Free pizza. But I convinced myself that I was satisfied with my smoothie, even though I was lying to myself.)
So I suppose that the value of “Just Do It” really lies in that which is being attempted.
I wish someone had told me “Just Do It” when asking my date to homecoming. I stressed myself out so much over one little question.
I wish someone had told me earlier to “Just Do It” and stop drinking soda. I kind of wish someone would tell me to do that again, but Coke Zero is so delicious.
I wish I had someone to stare at me every morning telling me to “Just Do It” when I’m thinking about not going for a run.
So those words can be encouraging, especially if we apply them to our lives with Jesus.
I’ve been finding a lot of gems during my devotions in the morning. I’m sure they’ve always been there, but my inconsistency didn’t really help me find them. This quote from George MacDonald’s book Creation in Christ pretty much blew me away.
“But I do not know how to awake and arise!”
I will tell you. Get up, and do something the Master tells you; so make yourself his disciple at once. Instead of asking yourself whether you believe or not, ask yourself whether you have this day done one thing because he said, Do it, or once abstained because he said, Do not do it. It is simply absurd to say you believe, or even want to believe in him, if you do not anything he tells you. If you can think of nothing he ever said as having had any atom of influence on your doing or not doing, you have too good ground to consider yourself no disciple of his.
The simplicity of this excerpt is pure genius. Nike marketing executives must have been fans of George MacDonald.
Following Jesus really comes down to three simple words: Just Do It. If we want to follow Jesus then we need to do what he says to do and abstain from that which he tells us to avoid. For all the books we’ve read and sermons to which we’ve listened, we pretty much need to take Nike’s advice.
Did Jesus tell you to do it? Then just do it.
Did Jesus tell you not to do it? Then just don’t do it.
Pretty simple. Following Jesus is difficult, but that doesn’t mean it’s complicated.
Overcomplicating following Jesus gives us an excuse for why we’re not very good at it. When we really break it down, though, it’s not that complicated. Jesus tells us what to do and we need to do it. Even more simply, that means loving God and loving others.
So really, just do it.
Leave a Comment