Change can be deadly when you’re in school and conformity is the key to survival. At least that’s how I remember it. It was such a small thing, but whenever mom decided to “trim” my bangs the trauma was unbelievable. I suppose in elementary school everything becomes unbelievably traumatic and every little change a major challenge. I’m not sure what her point of reference was, but I’m surprised I don’t have a permanent kink in my neck from trying to create an allusion of level. To this day I’m sure I had a flashing arrow above my head just in case someone failed to notice mom’s handiwork.
There is a story in the Old Testament that symbolizes the polar opposites of change, the “arms open wide” vs. the “dig in your heals” response. It’s the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet of God sent to the enemies of God’s people with the message of God’s grace. The story is a really a paradox. People who don’t know God embrace the changes demanded of them while the man of God reluctantly obeys, but never allows God to change his heart.
If you know anything about Jonah it’s probably his brief stay in the belly of the giant fish and that’s unfortunate because there is much more to the story than that. The greater miracle is the spiritual one: approximately 600,000 people responded to Jonah’s message of God’s call for change, repented and turned to Him.
But it doesn’t always happen that way. Take Paul in the New Testament for instance. After his life was dramatically changed and he went from persecuting believers to proclaiming the gospel, the response of those who heard his message was often stubborn refusal—and for Paul that meant jail time, beatings and being run out of town.
While change may be unavoidable, accepting it isn’t always easy. God lays out the changes that are needed to satisfy His requirements and then it’s up to us to respond. As nonbelievers, this choice is indeed life-changing, and not just for life, but for eternity. The Bible tells us we must be born again (John 3:3), by allowing God’s Holy Spirit to create in us a new spirit based on faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. You can’t produce much more of a change than that. It’s not an adding to or a mixing with or a fixing of this or that. It’s a complete change, a starting over as a new person.
But that’s actually just the beginning. As believers God conforms or changes us into the image of His Son, iChristCHisHisthe One who came and lived among men to show us how this “born again” life works. At this point my response usually isn’t the extreme of joyful embracing or stubborn refusal, but sometimes a hesitant “let me think about it”. If we know God works everything out for our good and His glory, why the hesitation? Could it be that it’s safer to conform than to allow God to make the changes in my life that might put that arrow in the sky pointing to me as a child of His, as one who is willing to allow God to make changes in all areas of my life?
Whether it’s that initial step toward God who waits with open arms to receive all people into His family through acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Savior or allowing God to change our lives into what He knows we can become, it’s all a choice. Get that kink out of your neck and embrace God’s changes.