1543 Now You Change

It’s day 3 of this brand new year of life, and there’s a large percentage of us already disappointed in our choices and progress. We wanted to be better this year, but so far, we’re still struggling. We wanted to make changes, but dang if those old ways don’t hold on tight. And for those who are doing well, you have to question how much longer you can keep up this level of effort. Can you really do this ALL year long? How long will that new willpower stay this strong? How many days, weeks, months can you force yourself to keep doing this?

Making a change is not easy. But what’s even harder is making that change stick.

I remember my very first attempt at change. It’s actually one of my earliest memories. I was 6 years old. My family had started going to a little country church, and my brother, who was 3 years older than me, had accepted Jesus. The whole church went down to Cowskin Creek for a baptism. I watched my brother, my best friend, my hero, be baptized as the pastor quoted 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” In my 6 year old brain, I had just received a brand new brother.

He was walking 6 inches taller that day. He was so proud, and everyone was so proud of him. So, that day, I decided I too wanted to be a new person. I went home and made my bed. But, I not only made my bed, I made my brother’s bed, then I made my parents bed. Y’all these were waterbeds. This was not an easy task for a 6 year old. But I was determined to change and be this new person, and the new little Pamela was going to make everyone’s bed.

Strangely enough, no one seemed to notice. All eyes were still on my brother. So, I decided I would be the best little girl anyone had ever seen. But the problem was, I was a wild little barefoot country girl with an afro, and I preferred to be like my brother and not wear a shirt on most summer days. By the end of the day, I had gotten a spanking from my mom. And it was there in that moment, I realized, I hadn’t changed. I wasn’t a new person at all. The next day, I didn’t make anyone’s bed.

Isn’t it funny how we’re still doing the same thing? We’re trying to convince ourselves and everyone else that we have changed and we’re now doing this new thing, but when we fail, we come to the realization we haven’t changed at all. We’re not anyone different. And in frustration, we give up.

What I had missed then as a 6 year old, and what I often continue to miss over 40 years later, is true change comes through Jesus. I can’t do this on my own, but with Jesus I sure can!

Do you remember Jesus teaching about the camel and the needle? He said in Matthew 19: 24-26, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

How in the world could a camel go through the eye of a needle? Jesus chose the camel as an example because it was the largest animal in Israel. And the needle, well the eye of a needle was the tiniest practical example in that day. So the tall camel going through this tiny needle, well that’s impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible.How can someone who has so much in this life hold it loosely and keep their hands open to God? Nearly impossible. Highly unlikely. Totally not normal. But with God’s grace and mercy, it is possible.How can me and you make the changes we need to m...