I was fiddling with a new bicycle computer that I got recently for my bike. It is a little thing, about the size of an I-phone, but it tells me a bunch of information beginning with being a speedometer. At the end of a day I can see how many total miles we went, what the average speed was, how much climbing we did and at what grade and speed. It will tell me my fastest speed for each day and for the trip, and a bunch of other stuff that I have forgotten and probably won’t use. The first thing I did was check the default settings and changed many of them. Changing them was a major trial because each setting had a different formula to change it and to use it, and they weren’t easy to remember or to enter. After an hour of frustration I pushed a button that put everything back in default mode. Oh well, at least it was in miles instead of kilometers in default. I went with default because it was easier and less hassle.

We were born with a default setting in our brain and our character, it is called our sin nature or old nature in the Bible. Our default setting is selfish, gets angry, bitter, is critical and judgmental, is seldom content, and is never really grateful. Wise people have learned how to change the settings, but it isn’t easy, and it takes lots of work. Because of the work and constant attention to detail that is required most people give up and settle for the default setting. They just go with the flow. Reminds me of

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.