80/20 and the Ten Commandments
Just an observation…
80% of the Ten Commmandments
are stated as negative actions -
( not graven images, not kill, not steal, not adultery, etc. )
Only two of the Ten Commandments (20%)
are stated as positive actions -
( keep Sabbath holy, honor father and mother ).
I don’t know about you,
but I have an easier time keeping the two positively stated commandments
than I do the eight negatively stated commandments.
Paul ran into the thing I’m talking about as well:
“In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin.
I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said,
“You must not covet.”
But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of
covetous desires within me! If there were no law,
sin would not have that power.” Romans 7:7-8
One of the big problems with negatively stated actions is
that your mind needs to focus on a positive action and
will, in absence of a positive thing to do,
do the thing you want to not do.
Simply put:
The best way to increase ______ is to try not to _______.