You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto/WilleeCole
Last Sunday, at the Easter services, our pastor was preaching about how Jesus changes people’s lives.
He told us about a documentary he watched about this person who gave his testimony of how Jesus saved him from a deep dependance on cocaine and how He turned his life around. This person had lost everything: job, family, health. And how Jesus transformed him and got him free from the addiction and restored everything he had lost.
Then the pastor said that some volunteers from our church would show their own testimonies of how Jesus changed their lives.
Due to the miraculous preface, I was expecting the same level of transformation. It’s weird, but for some reason, we often rate sin as if there were more difficult ones to overcome than others. For example, a drug addiction recovery might seem more “difficult” than overcoming loneliness. But for the person who needs to do it, both can be very difficult (I’m not talking about dealing with the consequences of sin).
The pastor stepped down, then one by one, a series of people would go up to the pulpit carrying a cardboard sign. They would raise his/her cardboard sign showing words describing a sin or a problematic situation, then after a few moments they would turn the cardboard sign around, and show words that described what Jesus changed in them.
Here are some examples I remember:
“Hate for an alcoholic father” / “Forgiveness and love for my father”
“Loneliness and depression” / “Leaning on the everlasting arms”
“Abortion” / “Grace + Forgiveness = 2 children”
“Lonely and purposeless” / “Son of the almighty God”
“User of people” / “Used by God”
My terrible memory doesn’t allow me to remember all of them, but by the time the forth person showed their sign, I had tears streaming down my face.
I could almost see my own sign reading:
“Pride and self-confidence” / “Humbled and confident in God”
Jesus does transforms people. It doesn’t have to involve drugs, although Jesus changes that, or any of the 7 deadly sins, although Jesus changes that too. For a lonely person, feeling secure and comforted in God’s arms may be the most amazing miracle they could have.
You can look back at the old days, and see how you are now. I bet you can count lots of miraculous changes made by Jesus. And you can have more, you just have to ask Him. After all, there’s always room for improvement 😉
“God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.” – Max Lucado
Question for you: what did Jesus change in you?
Great post and awesome blog!
Thank you, Brandon, I appreciate it!
Jesus has changed my perspective on his bride. I grew up in a very denominational home, with no love for those outside of the denomination. I didn’t like Catholics, couldn’t understand mainline churches. I had a judgmental attitude towards those who called themselves Christians.
I now love Catholics, understand the mainline churches (even going so far as to join one. I attend an Anglican church as my church home). My attitude has softened towards the faith and traditions of my fellow Christians, brothers and sisters in the kingdom of Heaven. I hope that I celebrate Christian unity in the diversity of traditions.
Douglas, thank you for sharing your experience.
I wish more people had the same understanding for other christians that may not agree with our views.
After all, we all depend 100% upon Jesus for our salvation, that should be enough to help us see each other with more compassion.
Mine would be: Pleaser of people (by flesh) / Lover of people (by God’s Spirit) – Cris this is a great reminder to take a second look at everybody and then a pause. God bless you my friend
Kevin, thanks for sharing.
I loved how you put “pleaser of people” and “lover of people”, which might seem close similars, as opposites due to the motivation (our flesh X His Spirit).
That’s really something to think about and evaluate our motivations when we do something for someone else.
Wow, just to think how far I have come with God. For a long time in my young Christian life I wanted God to change my circumstances now more and more I realize that God’s desire is to change me through my circumstances. For me to be the change through my circumstances — and here is where change occurred for me:-
A works-oriented hypocrite-guilty-stricken Christian to a faith-full, grace-receiving forgiven and authentic lover of God and people.
Cris, God bless you.
Beautiful words! I think we all do that at some point. At first, we expect God to adjust to our expectations. That’s when a true relationship plays the key part, and we finally understand what we were called to do: to love. I’ve been there too. 🙂