Psalm 144: 3-4 Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.
The lifespan of a human is like that of a fleeting shadow. The shadow cast by the sun moves approximately 15 degrees each hour. Likewise our lives change like a shadow. The friends who are best buddies today will not even be in our lives in a few years. Even family might forsake us and our financial situation could change in no time. As the Psalmist says, the life of man will be evolving and changing continuously until the sun sets down and the shadow will disappear and will be forgotten. However, accepting changes, managing changes and growing with the changes will make our existence worthwhile.
“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” — John Maxwell.
Change is certain to happen and is unavoidable but growth through the change is optional. Growth is voluntary, not obligatory. A series of terrible deaths and losses took place in the family of Naomi. She lost her husband, both her sons and all her wealth. She was left with her two widowed daughter-in-laws in a foreign land, Moab. Hence she decided to go back to her hometown, Bethlehem and gave a very wise piece of advice to her daughter-in-laws to go back to their father’s house, get married and start a new life. However, one of her daughter-in-laws, Ruth, refused to take her good advice but persisted to follow Naomi, her mother-in-law. This was the turning point for Ruth. If she had gone back, her life would have faded away like the shadow into the sinful pagan nation of Moab. But her decision has imprinted her name in the genealogy of Jesus and we still remember and learn from her crucial turning point decision. She decided to grow with the change.
Grow with the changes and turn the shadow into reality:
1. Receive: Accept changes. Those who resist change resist growth. Sulking makes us melancholic and moody. Not all changes are pleasant. It stretches us but there will be no growth without a crisis. Don’t resist, receive and embrace changes.
2. Respond: Choose to do what is right, not what sounds best. The best choice for Ruth would have been to go back to the safety of her clan. A Moabite widow had very little hope in Israel but she put her trust not on the Israelites but on the God of Israel. She picked up her basket and went looking for work and food the day they landed in Bethlehem. We can never control what happens to us but our response to the changes and crisis opens the door to lasting blessings.
3. Result: The result or the outcome will depend on our response to the crisis and change. If we throw in the towel and give up, we will go into depression but if we stand up, make changes and walk-out of our comfort-zone; we will learn, grow, flourish and thrive.
Life is like a fleeting shadow. Make it a reality by growing with the changes.
Ecclesiastes 6:12 Life is short and meaningless, and it fades away like a shadow.
Prayer: Dear Holy Spirit, teach me to embrace changes and grow with them. Amen.
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