Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Accepting Change

What would it take to change your mind? How about to change your life? And what direction would you move? To accept and receive something different. To allow concepts to enter your mind and cause an affect. To be changed and made new.

Is this possible or are we all in a pattern of set behaviors that cannot be undone? By what determination are our thoughts and ideas filtered? Is it the source of the idea? Or is it the perspective we live with? Must the catalyst idea be rational and common sense? And how does experience relate to thoughts being pondered? Is it more personal and based on emotions, biases, or feelings? Is it a coping mechanism? Or, is the ability to be changed based on truth; the possibility that we can and should change for a purpose beyond ourselves?

Circumstances shape us, personality gives us our perspective, and our viewpoint dictates how we will respond to the things around us. Belief and action describe to us and those around us, what we believe. And living a cause-and-action life by simply responding to the world is very different that living with a specific purpose and goal. The direction we are heading is very important. This is living with a flexibility to grow without compromising the truth, even if we don't always know what it is. It is also keeping a humble outlook that grants the opportunity to adapt. These changes, like minor corrections made during driving, keep us centered on the quest for truth. And truth is something more that than trying to be good. Goodness serves little purpose without a reason, and goodness for goodness's sake is not a worthy goal. Goodness does not advocate change.

Change comes from hope, freedom, and faith and it advocates for these changes in others. Change is future oriented, a hope in things to come with the goal of making a visible impact. Our purposes towards change ought to stem from a Godly perspective. It is a mixture of looking at ourselves and life's mysteries realistically. First of all, we must accept that we do not all of the answers. Secondarily we do have a responsibility to act and introduce others to the bits of truth that we have seen. My view is that change should always be a possibility and an expectation of others and ourselves. If we simply leave ourselves alone, we deny our ability to improve and be made new. These are purposes not of selfish gain, but of bringing freedom.
For instance, those who think everyone else is stupid, are probably the real idiot. It's called the "hot poop, warm pee complex". Most people that think they are hot poop, are really warm pee" - thanks T.J. Janecke for that simple principle about life.

We ought never be satisfied with who we are, but continually seeking what is real. Change is both difficult and unpredictable, and it is not readily accepted, but it is a worthy effort. We are made new only through a life that believes Godly truth exists, is meant for all, and is to shared. Many people are satisfied with a world of black and white, content with themselves. Others, are in chains trapped by a life of false answers. I believe there is freedom for both. We are not meant to be left alone, content with what we think we know. The direction of our life should focus on a message of good news, worthwhile challenges, questions, and viewpoints. In the words of Christ, "I came to seek and save the lost."

2 comments:

Marilyn said...

Love your new blog Aaron! You are an amazing young man and I am so proud to have as my son in law. Love, Marilyn

Anonymous said...

You might not be alone in your struggles but how about friends smokin cigars with you on the 4th of July. Or friends watching Wang Lung with you. How about the free late night movies at the movie theater or the car crashes near the highschool. How about T-peeing your ex's and her parents car with our English teacher as a helper. Or dumping a load of "Free" Christmas trees on that same teachers front lawn every year because they were giving them away for free the day after X-mas. Or how about watching your friend light his cealing light bulb on fire while we stood and watched.
What about all those other things? Or watching that one girl try to hit me after that meeting. Or going to 6hr board meetings where nothing got accomplished. Or how about building building in Mexico that later blew away in the wind because we sucked at building.

They didn't make your side tally for worth while things in your life? ;(