I Sure Wish You Would Make Some Changes

I can’t tell you how many times over the years I have looked at somebody and said: ‘I sure wish he would make some changes”.
I can count the times on one hand when I have looked at myself in the mirror and used the same words. ‘I sure wish he would make some changes”.

It is always easier to pinpoint what others need to change.

God at the beginning of the Bible is reputed to say, “Let us make humankind in our image.” Rarely do I think that my life represents anything close to an image or reflection of God. Wow. Somebody does. Somebody somewhere thought that we humans have great potential to play a significant role, a godly role in the universe. What kind of a role do you and I exactly play in this universe?

I saw a video recently of the late Steve Jobs speaking at Stanford. He reflected on news he received from Doctors that his life was about to be cut short by an incurable cancer. His response to such news was to speak about life itself. It led him to ask himself each morning: “If today were the last day of my life would I want to do what I am about to do today? “ He went on to say, “And when the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row I know I need to change something.”

Another wow! How many times have you and I looked in the mirror and saw that ‘no’ answer reflected in the image? Steve’s conclusion was very direct and pertinent: “Your time (alive) is limited. Don’t waste it by living someone else’s life….Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become”.

The Bible has a story about this too. It’s about the early life of the first humans represented as Adam and Eve. There first major accession in life was to adopt someone else’s intuition about life. It led them nowhere but out of paradise. Sounds like an everyday experience.

You and I, we can take advantage of a second look in the mirror. Let me tell you what you will see. Your image is uniquely different from any other person’s image. Eliminate efforts to capture someone else’s image. Your image will always be uniquely different. You need not worry about competing with someone else. You can only successfully compete with yourself. There is nothing to be afraid of. Only to hope and build your dream.

And those of us who insist on being discouraged by what we see are asked to remember this: You are better and more capable than you think you are. We are our own worst critics. Get over it. Get on with it! You are made in God’s image. Investigate what this means.

Church communities are places where we gather to elevate the image we have of ourselves and each other. People encourage people. Mistakes are erased. New purposes are sought out. We commit to ‘change something’ and better yet, we eventually gain some of the tools that prepare us to move onto a higher level.

Doesn’t sound like your church experience? Okay. Lets take the Jobs recommendation. ‘It is time to change something.’ Take a look at the image in the mirror. Run down to your local church community and reflect on what you need to do differently. Harness your dream, harness the life that God cut out of the universe for you.

It shouldn’t be so tough to look in that mirror and see the reflection looking at you intently and saying, “I sure wish he would make some changes”.

You also might try asking this at the same time: “Am I talking to myself or is that God’s image talking to me?”