Change

As seen in the HEARTbeat and the Village Voice

“Change”

            Some might say change is a four-letter word!  Face it, we don’t like change!!  We are creatures of habit, and we like our habits.  Why else would we call them creature-comforts?  Admit it, we rise at pretty much the same time every morning, we have a morning routine we go through, and we leave the house at close to the same time every single day!  You are a creature of habit.

            To emphasize the point, here is a question: when you enter your living room or great room, where do you sit?  Yes, you sit in the same chair.  And if the chair is not brand new, the seat of the chair has been formed to fit your seat!  So, if that’s the case, your habits affect other people and other things around you.  If you have carpeted stairs in your house, look at the wear patterns.  The next time you ascend to the upper floor of your home, take note of where your feet land on each step.  Yes, you are a creature of pattern, a creature of habit.

            Minor change is sometimes easier to adapt to than major change.  There’s even a reference to adaptation of change called the “Boil the Frog” phenomenon.  It goes that if you place a frog in a boiling pot of water, it will jump out because of the drastic change in the temperature of its skin.  But if you place a frog in a cool pot of water, the frog swims around, happy as can be.  But when a small flame is placed under the pot, the gradual heating of the water is not noticed by the frog; essentially it adapts to the minor, gradual change in the temperature and stays in the pot.  Eventually, in the end you have boiled frog legs!

            Imagine the change that faced the apostles.  As Jesus walked past them, one by one, He asked them to make a change, not a minor change but a major life change.  He asked them to give up what they knew, give up their livelihood, and to follow Him.  And think about the major change Jesus asked of Nicodemus.  Here was a man who had risen through the ranks of the Pharisees to become a renowned Pharisee and he even sat on the Jewish high council, the Sanhedrin.  He had been taught and was even teaching others the Messiah would come and set up His earthly kingdom, free them from Roman oppression, and reunite all twelve tribes under one throne whereby bringing the nation of Israel back to world prominence.  He had to make a major change in thought after meeting Jesus.

            My question today is this: can anyone have an encounter with Jesus and not go away different?  The impact He had and is still having on peoples’ lives requires a major change in behavior, thought and deeds.  The blind were healed, the lepers were healed, and the dead were brought back to life.  That’s change!

            As we study the Word every day, I ask you, how have you been changed by it today?  Let it sink in deep, hide it in your heart, and let the joy of the Lord be on your lips.  By doing so, you might help someone find the joy of knowing Christ and make that change we are all called to make.