Pastor Ken
Most people’s habits have been shaped since childhood. Some were taught by parents, while others were influenced by the culture. Once habits get stuck, we don’t think about them much and just do them naturally. We may also think everyone else is doing the same thing.
I was born and grew up in Hong Kong. I came to the US for college after high school. In my first year living in the on-campus dormitory, I encountered a lot of culture shock. For example, I used to take a shower before going to bed at night. I soon found out I was the only one on our floor who did that. Others took a shower in the morning after getting up. I eventually changed my habit, partially to adapt to the new social norm, and partially because I was often exhausted after a busy day of studying that I hit the sack after returning to my room.
Another habit is to peel the fruit with a small knife. I learned from my mother to peel counterclockwise with the blade facing away. Later, I learned from a Caucasian friend that firstly, it is easier to control the blade if you do it clockwise, and secondly, if it slips, you will hurt yourself instead of others, which is a courtesy. I took the explanation to the heart. Before long, I changed my habit.
Recently I’ve been considering how to park in my garage. Like most of my neighbors, I usually direct the car toward the house. It seems most natural to drive into the garage when I return home. Not long ago, I chatted with my son who lived in another state. He said, “When I return home, I have a clearer view of the house’s surroundings. If there are no passersby, I back my car into the garage. The next morning, I can drive out directly. It’s more natural.” It made sense. So I started trying to back my car into the garage. So far, so good. I’ll make a decision soon to see which way of parking is better. Then I’ll make it into a habit.
Many habits are formed gradually and can be changed slowly if we desire. Most importantly, we must believe a new habit is good for us. If we can’t convince ourselves and don’t want to try, it’ll be difficult to make changes.
The Christian church encourages all believers to take some time each day to read the Bible and pray. This practice may take about 10 to 30 minutes. For most people, time is not a problem. However, statistics show that 10% of the American population reads the Bible every day. It means that, with 30% of the population attending church every week, only one-third of believers read the Bible daily. This fits the situation of the three churches I pastored in before. It’s a habit to read the Bible every day, and it’s also a habit not to read the Bible.
No matter what the social norm is, most people have the freedom to do whatever they want at home. We certainly can develop good habits. In most cases, habits begin with personal beliefs and values. Then, with baby steps by various methods, habits can become a part of daily life, just like brushing our teeth and washing our faces every day.
