Changes

Some years ago, William Thrasher Jr. heard what has become one of his favorite definitions of the word stupidity: "doing the same thing over and over and continually expecting a different result." I quote him, 'It is not a lack of intelligence that produces this stupidity (God has provided an abundance of brain cells even for those who have some handicap), but rather the common tendency to become complacent, set in our ways, and just plain lazy. Today's society is rampant with those who have reached a place where they are doing very little that is different from what they did yesterday. They are not working to reach that next level or striving to move into new avenues of opportunity. They just slowly develop a "rut" and then stay there.'

So how can a man change?

A famous artist, John Mayer, sang the song "Waiting on the World to Change". Is that how we really expect to witness change? Change is inevitable. Things and circumstances change, needs and expectations change, jobs and people change. Everything is constantly changing. We must continually grow to stay abreast of all that is happening around us. A continuous commitment to growth is required to keep up with all this change. The concept of growth is something that we should be working to learn and apply in our life especially in its spiritual aspect. It should be made a part of all the priority areas that we have established for our lives.

We should not just wait for the world to change. The change must begin within us. It can be as simple as being disciplined enough to throw your candy wrapper into the trash bin and not just leave it anywhere (last April 22 was Earth day! Help keep our environment clean), following traffic rules to prevent accidents, waiting patiently in line for your turn, or asking permission before getting something that is not yours. It can start inside our homes - having an open, honest communication between parents and children without saying mean words to each other or being violent. And it can be applied in the community - being courteous to other people by greeting them good morning/ good afternoon/ good evening, respecting the elderly (e.g. by giving your seat in the Light Rail Transit/LRT), and being kind to the people around you. Instead of finding fault or gossiping about others, focus your attention to yourself and put your energy in making yourself a better person.

But don't expect change to happen overnight because growth is a progressive, never-ending process. The pathway to change is a patient, trial and error effort, diligently grinding it out on a day-to-day basis. And if you really want to change/grow, God is the answer. Let God help you start that change. Read the Bible everyday, pray and ask God to help you repent of your wrong attitudes that lead to not growing. Nancy Leigh DeMoss said, 'The goal is to get the Word into your heart and life and to cultivate an intimate relationship with Jesus, the living Word of God.'

When do we plan to change? The answer must be NOW. We must not wait for another tomorrow. We must begin to make a change today. We should make today the beginning of a journey that will count for all of eternity.