The You Diet

Yesterday, I was reading some article on the internet, and happened to look over at the "Links" portion of the page, and I saw another article entitled "Dr. Oz: The Two-Week YOU Diet." I didn't really think about it--I own one of Dr. Oz's YOU books (and I watch Oprah...don't judge me!), so I knew what the poorly worded title was referring to, but since it was so poorly worded, it helped me think of something:

What if everyone did take a two-week diet from self, and instead donated that time to give and help others?

Think about it. What if we planned two weeks where we helped with some different organization every day? What if we raised money for a cause, visited those in nursing homes, comforted widows, cleaned up a local park, fed the homeless, honored veterans, or mentored a child? The need for volunteers is great and endless--there are a myriad of worthwhile opportunities out there.

I remember hearing a sermon preached by Ben Stuart at Breakaway (seriously, look up the Breakaway Ministries podcasts on iTunes--they're fantastic), where Ben brought up the excellent point that so many of us spend our days entertaining ourselves, and we envision our lives as always being in pursuit of comfort and entertainment until the day we die.

That was a wake-up call for me. Never before had I realized how self-centered my dreams for my life after college were, and I saw how that kind of self-serving lifestyle would ultimately lead to dissatisfaction and unhappiness. Is it OK to take time out for yourself to relax and recharge? Absolutely. Even the Almighty have to unwind! (Gen. 2:2, Luke 6:12) But the constant "self time" I was planning isn't what God wants for me, and must be put back in its proper place, with a proper balance.

Can you imagine the tremendous good that could come from even just 100 individuals committing to two weeks of daily service? What if there were thousands of people willing to commit? There could be massive changes in so many areas of need.

I haven't really been talking a lot about donating money, but I will close with this quasi-quote (this isn't exactly what was said, but it's very, very close):

"My goal for each of you is that, at the end of your life, you will have an empty bank account and a full funeral." - Ben Stuart ("God, Money, and the Last Days")

When I die, I hope my funeral will be filled with the people whose lives have been positively impacted by God working through me, and I will have used the body He has given me for all the tasks He called me to.

And, like Ben, I hope the same for you.