On June 4, 1783
at the market square of a French village of Annonay, not far from Paris, a
smoky bonfire on a raised platform was fed by wet straw and old wool rags. Above the bonfire was a huge taffeta bag 33
feet in diameter, straining its tethering lines. In the presence of “a respectable assembly and
a great many other people,” and accompanied by great cheering, the balloon was
cut from its moorings and set free to rise majestically into the noon sky. Six thousand feet into the air it went with
historic grandeur - the first public ascent of a balloon…the first step in the
history of human flight. Yet, it came to
earth several miles away in a field, where it was promptly attacked by
pitchfork-thrusting peasants who tore it to pieces as an instrument of evil!
Change is never easy.
When the
railroads were first introduced to the U.S., some folks feared that they’d be
the downfall of the nation! An excerpt from a letter to then President Jackson
dated January 31, 1829 read:
“As
you may know, Mr. President, ‘railroad’ carriages are pulled at the enormous
speed of 15 miles per hour by ‘engines’ which, in addition to endangering life
and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside,
setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and
children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at
such breakneck speed.”
Change is never easy. Yet we all face changes from time to time.
My doctoral
studies were in the topic of Change Management.
Virtually every “expert” agreed that the response of people to change
follows a bell-curve. Responses are
fairly predictable…so much that some have categorized the responses:
1.
Early
innovators (2.6% of the population) introduce new ideas and embrace, almost
need change
2.
Early
adaptors (13.4%) accept change easily but rarely introduce it
3.
Slow
Majority (34%) will follow with a little influence
4.
Reluctant
Majority (34%) will follow, but need to be convinced
5.
Antagonistic
(16%), they will never change. They are
characterized by the Duke of Cambridge who said, “Any change, at any time, for
any reason, is to be deplored.”
Change is never easy. Yet without change, no significant
advancement is made.
Some people will
change when they see the light. Some
change only when they feel the heat.
Others will never change. But,
guess what? Life is, like it or not, all
about change, and I, for one, am looking forward to what God will do to make us
a stronger, more effective church in the coming years. Yet why embrace change
when the past is so comfortable?
Embracing God’s changes
enable us to prepare for great things in the immediate and near future.
To discover
those changes in God’s plan take, definitely, some persistent prayer and,
perhaps, some trial-and-error. Jesus
encourages us to “count the cost” in making our plans, yet all the while we
keep one ear open for God’s still voice who might correct our path so we might
be on his.
Change for the sake of
change is rarely good.
Change for the
sake of growth, health, or advancing the cause of Christ is always good; even
when it makes us feel a little uncomfortable. Like when a family moves from one
state to another with the hope of making the family’s life more of what God
wants it to be, change takes us to new places, even, as Israel exemplifies, new
lands. But with God at the point –
looking out for trouble and leading the way, we are protected along this new path.
After
all, one thing is certain, God does not
change. In James 1:17 we read, “Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above,
who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows.” With God we find the certainties of life. In
God we grow to be more like Jesus…and for the believer, this is the purpose of
change.
Someone once
said, “If you ain’t livin’, you’re dyin’!” In other words - Life is change! It's all a matter of choosing God's changes and not simply succumbing to the inevitable ones. So… change enthusiastically!, not for the
sake of changing, but for the purpose of discovering and experiencing life in
its fullest.
How do we embrace
Change?
- Follow Jesus wherever he may lead.
- Trust Jesus for whatever his plan may be.
- Look back at God’s faithfulness in the past…it is a
foreshadowing and promise of his faithfulness in the future.
- Resist the temptation of needing to control and/or
understand all things. Truth is,
neither is possible – though we sometimes fool ourselves into believing
both are.
- Step into a new river from time to time. The new water
can be wonderfully refreshing.
- Meditate on the beginning of Psalm 23 (from the New
Living Translation) –
The Lord is my
shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Ironically, I
know what will likely happen. Many of
you will wholeheartedly try these things.
Some of you will with a little encouragement. Some of you will with some convincing. And, tragically, some of you never will. But aren’t you glad that someone figured out
how air and train travel were exciting and for our good?
My hope is that
God will convince you to be untethered by that which encumbers you to the past
so you might soar into God’s future. I’ll trust Him to do that…for you and for
me, as we LIVE in the joy of Change.
Let me know what you think! - Kirk McCormick
