No! It’s a beautiful word. It is a word that brings freedom.
It’s okay to say no. In fact, it is good to say no. Even better, it is great to say no!
Jesus teaches us the value of “no.” He says:
“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:37, ESV)
He showed us how to say no. He said no to the trappings of man-made traditions and worldly power. His great desire to fulfill the Father’s will enabled him to say no to anything that would hinder his mission.
Do you have a hard time saying no? It points to the condition of our heart. It points to a dissatisfaction within us. It shows us that we are trying to find our satisfaction in everything but Jesus.
Realize that when you say yes, you say no. You can’t do it all. When you say yes to one thing, it diminishes your capacity to say yes to other things. If I say yes to the unhealthy meal, I am saying no to the healthy meal. If I say yes to staying late at work, I am saying no to being home early with the family. If I say yes to my spouse on the day of my marriage, I am saying no to all others after that. See how that works?
At the same time when you say no, you are saying yes. By saying no to a lesser thing, it enables you to say yes to the greater thing. Here are a few things to consider saying no towards:
- No to self. Yes to follow Jesus! (Luke 9:23)
- No to empty religion. Yes to a relationship with the Savior! (Matthew 22:37–38)
- No to the pursuit of worldly riches. Yes to heavenly treasure! (Matthew 6:19–21)
- No to the pursuit of fame. Yes to be known intimately by God! (Psalm 139)
I have a whole book, called 40 Things to Give up for Lent that gives additional thoughts on areas of our lives where we need to say “no!” Tomorrow we will talk a bit more about how to say no.
Thought for the Day
Where do you need to say “no” today?
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