Just Do It!

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4v9


A few years ago Nike ran an ad campaign built around the theme, ‘Just Do It!” Although it was all about a very humanistic, worldly centred, and Epicurean lifestyle, this verse always makes me think of those ads.

Those ads were, in another sense, saying that rather than just around thinking about being an athlete, go out and do something about it. Put down your remote, get out of your easy chair, and go do it! In that sense they are not so bad. Theory is not enough, living vicariously is not enough. If we are going to accomplish anything, we have to go do it.

Here Paul says, in essence, “I have told you what to do. Instead of being careful be thankful. Pray about everything. Choose the right thoughts. Now do it. Just do it.” If we don’t do it, then we are simply not going to be able to experience the peace of God. It is when we ‘do it’ that the peace of God is going to be with us.

If we don’t do it, the only peace we are going to have is our own peace, and we all know how well that works.