YOLO

YOLO is an acronym that has come about in the past year or so that people use to abbreviate the phrase "you only live once."  It is popular, and probably originated from, the younger generations.  It has a spectrum of uses; it might be said before someone eats their least favorite flavor of jelly bean and it might be said before someone jumps of an airplane (hopefully attached to a parachute).

Most of the time it is a harmless phrase - until it precedes a poor decision or action.  We say YOLO as if it will cancel out whatever poor choice we are about to make.

There's another popular acronym that most people are familiar with, or have at least seen on a bracelet around someones wrist: WWJD.  It stands for What would Jesus Do.  This acronym seems archaic at this point in time - I haven't seen one of those bracelets in years.  When I was little, my family had a book entitled What Would Jesus Do?  We often read it as a family before bed.  I wasn't too interested in this book as an 8 year old - it had a very Laura Ingalls Wilder meets Children's study Bible kind of flavor.  At that point in my faith life, singing vegetables were the way I connected with God's truths.  But, I am was able to remember the phrase.

If I were to start preceding all of my decisions with WWJD, in the same way that people use YOLO, it think I would come off as pretentious and trying to purport a holier than thou attitude.  However, it should be on my heart and at the forefront of my mind.  Are my intentions Christ-like?  Are my actions self-glorifying or God-glorifying? 

YOLO might have some value to it - you only live once, so what are you going to do about that?  We should live in a way where our character and identity define the choices we make, instead of the other way around.  This can be tied back to Paul's words in Ephesians 4:1 - a life worthy of the calling we have received. You only live on earth once, so make it worthy of your heavenly calling.

Here's some practical advice from one of my favorite Youtube stars:

~SP