I don’t often listen to motivational speeches or read self-help books. I think they’re tiresome and a little cheesy. Then again, I’m not much of a “rah-rah” kind of guy. But there’s one oft-repeated piece of advice that I find fascinating: “Make your bed in the morning.”

It’s interesting that such a mundane task is discussed as foundational to success. Although there’s much to this worldly advice that is worth dismissing, there is also something worth emulating. In fact, when I meet with students and young adults about their ongoing struggles with sin, I often encourage them to battle their temptation by making their bed…

First, let me qualify the previous statement before you disqualify me as a pastor. The process of sanctification is so much more than behavior modification. More than anything, God wants heart transformation. Our actions won’t change before our heart does. God gives us His Holy Spirit to change us from the inside. He gives us the desire and power to break through the chains of our sinfulness and pursue holiness instead. All sinful patterns must first be battled and broken at the heart-level. This only happens through confession, repentance, accountability, and lots of prayer.

As a fellow human who struggles with sin, I can say firsthand that there are also many times in my life when “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” See, battling temptation is more than behavior modification but it’s also not less than behavior modification. To put it simply: God has given us the pattern of godly discipline (through the Holy Spirit!) to help counteract the sinful tendencies of the flesh. Making your bed in the morning is a physical and mental act that can help set and define your heart attitude for the rest of the day. Making your bed is a godly act. Here’s why…

God is a God of order, not of chaos.

From the beginning of the Bible, we see in Genesis 1 that God forms and creates substance from non-substance. He sets boundaries and designates types. He puts natural laws into place that govern the way we live in the world. In Exodus, God puts the waters of Chaos at bay so his people can walk through on dry ground.

And in the New Testament, Jesus calms these same waters of Chaos through the sound of his voice. He is the Light that comes into the undefinable, void of darkness.

As those created in the image of God, we are called to act in a similar way. God designed us to bring order from chaos. This is why Adam was tasked with naming (classifying) the animals. It’s why he was called to tend the garden so that it wouldn’t grow wild. We were created for order.

But sin brings chaos. It brings darkness and confusion. It brings hurt and pain. It blurs lines that were never meant to be blurred.

Making your bed is a godly act that brings order to chaos… or, at least, it seems like a good place to start. After all, if a young man struggles with sexual temptation, it’s unreasonable to expect him to have the discipline to set safe, wise boundaries if there’s no discipline and boundaries in the rest of his life.

But order and discipline leads to more order and discipline. You can’t run a marathon without taking the first step.

As the self-help pundits say: how you start the day defines the day.

So start with prayer, read God’s Word… then make your bed.