Articles
Things Comfortable
I like things comfortable. Don’t most people? Change raises the hair on the back of the neck for most people. Change makes us think. It wakes us up. It challenges our comfort zone. However, if we are Christians, isn’t it true that we are always a changing? In fact, if we stop changing we could possibly be dying or dead spiritually. Transformation is change. Change is part of the life of a Christian.
Our world is changing. Styles for the 1970’s have changed relative to 2017. Lifestyles have changed. In the 1970’s few people had a cell phone, much less one that is a mini-computer. Just to have a phone was a luxury. Talking long distance was rare. If we live long in the U.S. A., we will see change.
It’s our habits that we don’t like to change. We like the status quo. When our status quo is ruffled, we often react rather than stopping to think. When ruffled we often are rankled. New is not wrong. Different is not wrong. The fact someone thought of something I did not is not wrong.
We even have our habits spiritually. New songs are often met with resistance. When a new preacher preaches a little different than the older one, there is adjustment. The slightest adjustment in the order of our assembly causes some to think we’ve become “liberal.” There are any number of things that we don’t want changed in our spiritual lives. Things that are right and scriptural. Why do we react the way we do? Perhaps one reason is that it is not comfortable. There can be many others.
Please consider, the next time you notice some change, rather than reacting with a response that is not thought out, take the time to think it through. Don’t just voice your opposition. Ask, is this really wrong or is it just different? Folks, shouldn’t we, as we grow up spiritually, act like men? When we became men we put off childish things, Paul said. No, I am not calling anyone a baby. I am simply using Paul’s illustration to say that when we grow up spiritually we think differently. We don’t simply react…and at times overreact. If God is praised, brethren edified, and–most importantly–scriptures obeyed, then no matter how a thing is done, song sung, or assembly arranged, it really does not matter.
By the way, if it is you this time, it might be me the next time who doesn’t like the change. There are a lot of reasons I love Darrell Davis. When we added the supplemental Darrel did not like it. Singing in general was not his gift. But he knew the good it could do. He set his preference aside for the consideration of the whole. He taught me a powerful lesson then. It is a powerful lesson now. Let each one consider giving preference to one another.
