Over the years  there are several sayings, speeches, teachings, phrases, and opinions that I have heard over and over again. When one lives as long as I have hearing new things will become less, unless I search them out.

Hearing or reading something over and over throughout my years, unfortunately hasn’t always resulted in me “doing” anything, but gathering information. Now some of the time this is all that is required. But most of the time action on my part is suggested, required and proves beneficial if I act.

As a child I heard “don’t cross your eyes, or they’ll stay that way”, “don’t stick your lip out a bird will poop on it”, “clean your plate or you won’t get dessert”.

Maybe a lot of what we’ve heard or read over the years has been intended to improve our lives in some way. However, if there are no actions taken, then we will merely be taking in information saying to ourselves “I’ve heard that before”.

We are reading and hearing a lot about New Year’s resolutions since we just started a new year. We may even be hearing or reading the same things from the same people we did last year. Some might be information to be gathered, but most require some sort of action.

We might read the bible, or hear it being taught. We enjoy the stories and history while we gather information but do we act on what we’ve heard or read?

The bible says in Lamentations 3:23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin a fresh each day. This verse is good for knowledge, information to gather. It also allows for action. Each day we wake we can act, by believing that God is faithful and he bestows mercy on us. We can leave the past and yesterday behind and start fresh, start new.

Or we can read it and hear it being taught and say “I’ve heard that before”.