Changing Lives

Rev. DL Whittaker, Washington

 

My favorite TV program of all times, has become; Extreme Home Makeover.  It is the real reason behind my writing this article.  I think, largely because, the theme centers on changing lives.  I am realizing more and more each day, that changing people’s life is one of the most important things I can do.  Not only as an American citizen, but as a Christian.

 

While I realize that the world is full of folk who have no desire to live differently than they are, is because they don't think it important.  Many today, believe; "The World Owes Them Something" - and they want to get it before anyone else has a chance.  If they are unhappy, they want everyone else to be unhappy too.  I believe, however, these folks do not make up the majority, and if you were to take a poll, most would say that they would like to live differently than they do now.

 

Throughout history, there have always been people who have been instrumental in changing lives, but, sadly enough, you seldom are made aware of it.  It is always the negative that makes the headlines.  People, including church people, seem to be taking on adverse attitudes.  These are attitudes which manifest themselves in many various ways, and most often, they are contrary to good sound judgment.  I say all this, because I see it becoming more and more prevalent today, than ever before, especially in the Christian realm.

 

From the moment man's eyes beheld the Christ child, their lives were changed. Hope became a reality.  A new purpose for living came into being. The world suddenly took on a new meaning, and, there was a sense of AWE in the air.

 

There has always been a struggle with changing lives, including our own.  There has always been something that stood in the way, and that something is US.

 

Why do I say “Us”?  Because, in all of history, we Christians, have not been willing to surrender our biases and our attitudes, to God.   This is necessary, in order that we might be effective for God.  Let's take a good hard look at how we stand in the eye of the world.

 

Philippians 2:5 says  "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus."  I would rather quote it thus.

"Let this Attitude be in you, as was also found in Christ Jesus."  If we are willing to accept this exhortation, then the preceding and following verses in this chapter can, and will, fall into place.

 

Christians seem to have a real problem with taking on the attitude of Christ, and of Changing lives, and our words, our indifferences, etc, are often the reason we hear, "If that's Christianity, thanks, but no thanks, I don't want any part of it."  When I hear these words, I want to cringe, because it means that we didn't take our witness serious enough, and we are seen as no different from those in the world. In a Nutshell, "We Failed!"

 

We don't like to hear that we fail, but there's no way around it.  Taking on the Mind of Christ, (The Attitude of Christ,) very simply means:

 

1.   No Judging.   We judge ourselves, and ultimately, Christ will judge us.

2.  No Condemning.   Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee, Go and sin No More."

     "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone." Or, Let him render sentencing.

 

We get ultra angry, and we use words we should not use. They are not Christ like, and do nothing for our testimony of who Christ is, and what He can do for those out in the world. He, Christ, said, "Be angry and sin not."

 

3.  He, Christ, taught us the ways of peace. To love everybody, and to love them more than we love ourselves. He taught us to forgive, and if we can't forgive, we can't be forgiven.  Do we want to do these things?  Our natural self says, "NO!"  But folks, we can't say we are true examples of Christ's likeness, and do thus, and therefore, we can't change lives.

 

So how do we become effective in our witnessing, and changing lives?  We start by changing US.  How we think, how we speak, how we react to adverse things, and how we interpret situations.

 

Christ will come soon.  Are you taking someone with you?

Changed Lives Are Forever.   Amen

 

Dave