Change

It's possible that in the last 20 years more has been written in the business world about "change" than any other topic. Business experts discuss how to ensure an organization is "nimble." For a while, all you could hear was how readily a company could abandon its paradigm. The focus has been on change.

In schools too, the issue of change has been a frequent topic. Because of the information explosion and the rapid pace of change, educators were encouraged not to teach facts, but to teach research skills -- not to teach information, but to teach adaptability and problem solving. This would prepare our young people for change.

It's as though we -- in this generation -- had discovered the idea of change. Some were frightened by it and resistent; some were energized by it and eager.

From the time of creation, however, our God has been a God of change. Creation itself attests to that. God spoke, and change occurred. The ideas of growth, development, and metamorphesis are fundamental to all of creation.

On a more personal level, we are told that we need to "become" more like Christ. We are told to "put on" the new man. We are urged to grow, mature, be transformed in our minds.

Long before our current society latched onto the idea of change, God was beaconing us to be something different/better today than we were yesterday. God is looking for change in our actions, in our thinking, in our character.

Which leads me to ponder: how am I different today? have I grown any since yesterday? am I altered by my recent encounters with God? Or do I look in the mirror and then walk away without any change?

And a corollary idea: shouldn't I expect the people around me to change? don't I do them a disservice by pigeonholing them as a certain sort of person and assuming that they will always be like that? shouldn't I be encouraging them to blossom?

Rather than being threatened by change, followers of Christ should be championing change in ourselves and in those around us . . . urging each other on to new thoughts, new understandings, new ways of being like Christ.

Years ago I read that one of the most valid prayers is "Change me!" We often pray for changed circumstances, but we don't often grow brave enough to pray "change ME!" We prefer that the other person, the situation, the outcomes be remolded to fit us -- an amazingly self-centered approach when you think about it.

But dare I say it? Dare I risk the me that is familiar? Dare I trust God enough to request that He go to work on me? The answer has to be yes.

Lord, change me!