"If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings."
Jeremiah 26:3
What strikes me today about this scripture is the desire the Lord has that we will turn away from evil, so that no punishment is necessary. It seems to be the main point of prophets... to call us to repentance and to get us to *change* ... which is a hard thing to do. I have heard many times that "people don't really change." And I am sure that that statement is often true in a job context or in other short-term observation. We all have bad habits, and they are hard to break. ... But it isn't always true that we can't change, especially given a longer period of time, and I hope that we never give up on ourselves after hearing something like that. The possibility for change is always there, and I think that if we look back on our lives that we can see that change. Maybe gradual, maybe quick... but evidence of it. We've grown. We've learned. We're not the same people that we have been. Even in a job context... when I talk to my employees and we discuss something sincerely that needs to be improved, and they actually work on it over time... I see it. They see it. People *do* change, in discernible and positive ways.
God supports us as we try to change in positive ways. He understands what we are going through, and he always encourages us to get up and try again. Today, let's commit to some positive changes in our lives. Even if we can't do them overnight, even if we have to work at it for a long time, God will still be there, supporting us as we head in the right direction. Sometimes it is a behavioral change, other times it is a mental or emotional change where we have to come to terms with our own anger or resistance or just understand God's will. Whatever it is, let's tackle it and start on that path to becoming better people than we are now. And if we think we're already pretty good... let's make some positive changes anyway. There is room for improvement in all of us. Let's help God out, listen to him, and work with him, so that we don't end up on opposite sides, but as friends and allies.
Jeremiah 26:3
What strikes me today about this scripture is the desire the Lord has that we will turn away from evil, so that no punishment is necessary. It seems to be the main point of prophets... to call us to repentance and to get us to *change* ... which is a hard thing to do. I have heard many times that "people don't really change." And I am sure that that statement is often true in a job context or in other short-term observation. We all have bad habits, and they are hard to break. ... But it isn't always true that we can't change, especially given a longer period of time, and I hope that we never give up on ourselves after hearing something like that. The possibility for change is always there, and I think that if we look back on our lives that we can see that change. Maybe gradual, maybe quick... but evidence of it. We've grown. We've learned. We're not the same people that we have been. Even in a job context... when I talk to my employees and we discuss something sincerely that needs to be improved, and they actually work on it over time... I see it. They see it. People *do* change, in discernible and positive ways.
God supports us as we try to change in positive ways. He understands what we are going through, and he always encourages us to get up and try again. Today, let's commit to some positive changes in our lives. Even if we can't do them overnight, even if we have to work at it for a long time, God will still be there, supporting us as we head in the right direction. Sometimes it is a behavioral change, other times it is a mental or emotional change where we have to come to terms with our own anger or resistance or just understand God's will. Whatever it is, let's tackle it and start on that path to becoming better people than we are now. And if we think we're already pretty good... let's make some positive changes anyway. There is room for improvement in all of us. Let's help God out, listen to him, and work with him, so that we don't end up on opposite sides, but as friends and allies.
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