My sister, Debbie, and I were talking and chuckling a bit the other day when discussing our neglect to write something in our day planner every single day. The reason is that some days we do the same thing. We jokingly said we could write what we did on Monday and “ditto” on the lines beside the remaining days of the week.
There’s not much excitement in the word ditto. We’re more likely to think ditto equals boring, uneventful, dull, and yawn-worthy. And yes, ditto does mean repetition, duplication, replication, and rerun.
Hey! I see you blinking like a frog in a hailstorm and nodding off into your bowl of oats as you read the definitions. Open those eyes, pick up that cup of coffee, or is it tea? Gulp in a whole mouthful. Be careful; it’s hot! And hear me out.
Open your Bible and read Acts 2:42,46 along with me.
Verse 42 states,
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
Verse 46 continues,
“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.”
Notice the words continued and continuing? Are you beginning to see “ditto” differently than before you took that gulp? Ditto is a lot like continue.
Continue means to persist in an activity or process, carry on, go on, keep on, persevere, keep at, push on, not stop, not give up, and stay with.
The early church’s day planner could’ve also had ditto written on the lines by every day of the week:
They were with one accord in the temple every day.
They broke bread from house to house every day.
They ate their meat with singleness of heart every day.
They praised God every day.
Ditto, ditto, ditto.
But here is the power in their ditto!
The second part of Verse 47 declares, “And the Lord ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS SHOULD BE SAVED.”
Ditto doesn’t seem as boring as it did before.
Let’s ask Peter and John and the lame man. Peter and John’s daily “ditto” was going to the temple at the ninth hour. The lame man’s daily ditto was being laid at the temple gate to ask for alms. In Acts 3, we read, “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, look on us, and he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
THAT day DITTO met POWER.
The lame man was healed, and the Apostles were propelled into a ministry of authority, signs, and wonders they had never personally experienced.
Whatever your ditto, don’t give up! Keep praying, keep seeking after God. Keep reading the Word, remain faithful, steadfast, and obedient, and hold on through hard trials. Keep on keeping on with the ditto!
I Corinthians 15:58 encourages us by saying:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Galatians 6:9 states,
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
There’s power in the DITTO!
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