Pastor s Column: Change can be good
By Steve Schroeder
Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church
One of the things I remember about living in Kansas is that if you don't like the weather, just wait and it will change. Even though we may joke about that, I believe most of us see that as a good thing.
The snow comes, but it doesn't last too long. About the time we get tired of the wind, we get a beautiful wind-free day. Rainy days don't linger like they do in other parts of our country (like Washington). Even the ice eventually goes away. Generally we welcome the changing weather.
Most of us also enjoy a change of pace. Weekends are good for that. So are vacations. Change adds variety to our life that I believe is healthy. It helps us to see things from a new perspective. Change can be refreshing and even invigorating.
In fact, most living things are constantly changing. Those trees out back will look different in May than they do right now. The grass that grows one week gets mowed off the next. Even the skin on our body is constantly changing as new skin grows to replace old dead skin. A casual glance through your family photo album will remind you that change is inevitable.
Change is a sign of life and health. A healthy, growing business keeps making changes to stay alive. Churches that are alive and growing embrace change. The same is true for people. When we stop changing, we stop growing. And when we stop growing, we start dying.
Even though we know that, most of us dig in our heels when it comes to making personal changes. We get comfortable with where we're at. We don't see a need to change. We've got our routine and it's just easier not to change.
But we must resist that dead-end way of thinking. What would you like to change about yourself this year? Is there a habit you want to break? A hobby you want to pursue? A job you'd like to apply for? What about a character trait you'd like to develop? A nagging sin you'd love to be free of? A new interest you would like to explore?
Go ahead. Take the first step. Try that new thing. Tell someone what you're doing. They can help keep you going.
Personally, I've made some changes in my life this past year that were pretty big. Besides moving back to Kansas, I've also sent off our oldest child to college. I started jogging and began using a daily journal to help me process and remember what God is saying to me through His Word.
As a result, I'm not the same person I was just a year ago. I've been growing in new ways, and it feels invigorating. What about you?
I'd like to gently nudge you to change something in 2005. What would it be? It doesn't have to be huge, but pick something and then start today. If you want to, share it with me some time. I'd love to hear what you're working on.
Go ahead, step out and make a change, for a change!
