The Times They Are A Changing

We live in an era where change is taking place at record pace. We are the frontier of a new way of life and new understandings of what it means to live, to love, to work, to play, to mature, to succeed and to survive. We have experienced dramatic shifts in our culture. How we make purchases, how we stock our refrigerators, how we recreate on the weekends, how we meet our mates is all changing in ways no one could have imagined. Technology is progressing at a blinding speed. The market place, the work place, the school house, the communities in which we live are entirely different today than they were even a couple of decades ago. The way that people organize their thoughts, evaluate their lives, determine their priorities, set their values have changed in important and consequential ways as well. In very real terms how people decide: a) who they are, b) what they will fight and die for, and c) what really is “truth” has completely changed since 20 years ago. The world, and the people who live, work, love and exist within it, have changed.

Now with that in mind I was recently reminded of something Coach John Wooden was credited with saying: "What really counts in life is what you learn after you know it all."

For most of us that’s what would be called an “ouch” maker simply because the older we get, the more set in our ways we are likely to be. It gets harder to master new skills and adapt to new paradigms. It’s more likely that we’ll tune out ideas that would require re-thinking a point of view.

And so once again there is this face to face tension that has forever existed between the advocates of inevitable change and those resistant to change. The irony is that whereas I was once a great advocate for the need for change, I now am finding myself resistant to it. At the same time I realize that it’s certain that you are going to get left behind pretty quickly unless you are willing to learn to adapt in order to function within the inevitable changes around you.

And so the key question for me has to with teachability. It’s all about being willing to learn new approaches in a way that connects with the rapidly changing culture in which we live. To ignore this or to refuse to adapt the way things have always been done will be at the expense of our own peril.

In our personal spiritual journey, pride is among the deadliest of sins because it prohibits learning, which ultimately leads to growth. However neither do I think that we should vacillate as doubting and unsure people. Conviction is admirable but it shouldn’t ever be confused with any feeling or need to manipulate, legislate or control others regarding viewpoints. Informed convictions are eager to entertain questions, new ideas, and challenges. Interestingly, these are the very things that offend rigid dogmatism. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus rebuked folks who wouldn't embrace these very things? I also suspect that openness to teachability and adaptability was a big part of Jesus' charge that his followers be childlike when he said, "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

More good ideas have been killed with "We've never done it that way before" than with good reasons as to why it shouldn't be done some new way. More growth potential has been stifled by a “my way or no way” mentality than with harmful ideas tried.

Maybe the young learn with more eagerness because they aren't afraid to fail. Perhaps the reason older people or firms or churches learn so little so slowly is that pride makes us unwilling to take the risks necessary for progress.

Prejudice against all things new is self defeating and unworthy of people who genuinely believe they are unconditionally loved by Father. After all love always wins….even over bad and harmful changes. The question is whether I’ll have the courage to trust Him with that.