Change

Discard your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22).

People complain about change. They get concerned when a politician changes position on an issue. They get angry when a favorite TV show changes cast members or is moved to a different time slot.

But change is often a good thing. How many times have your computer programs been updated with patches? Don’t you like bugs being fixed and new features being added? Do you really want politicians in office who are so inflexible that they never adjust their thinking in light of new information?

We don’t like change because it forces us out of our comfort zone. We have to learn new ways of doing things, and that takes both time and careful attention. We have to slow down and think about what we’re doing. Change, even good change, is stressful. Since most people don’t like stress, most people don’t like change.

This explains why some people don’t want to become Christians. To follow Christ requires change. Jesus tells us to abandon love of sin, but that change of attitude is hard. Some bad things are fun; we don’t want to give them up. Other sinful things are a matter of habit, and we don’t want to go through the effort of changing our ways. Some fear loss of security; they shrink away from the idea of letting someone else take control of their lives, even if that person is the Son of God. Others are insulted by the suggestion that their decisions are flawed, or that their lifestyles need retooling.

But the gifts offered by Jesus are more than worth the stress brought by change. He forgives our sins, and He teaches us how to forgive others; this allows us to have peace with our past. He promises new life in paradise after we die; this frees us from worries about the future. And He tells us what’s true and what’s not; this gives us peace in a world full of conflicting opinions.

Change is rarely easy—no one knows that better than Jesus, who was crucified by people who were terrified of the changes that He advocated. But changing direction to follow Christ is well worth the effort, because His path leads to peace, happiness, and security.