From Where I Stand: Challenges

The ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, stated, "Change is the only constant. There is nothing permanent except change."

Well, that's what we think he meant. He actually said it in ancient Greek. So for us to understand it, it had to be translated from one language to another and from one time period and culture to another. I guess, proving its own point, the words had to be changed so modern people could understand their meaning.

Is there a time in life when it is appropriate to stop learning? Is there a time when things become settled and there is no need to continue to develop?

It is inspiring to see people in my life who late in their own lives continue to seek out new opportunities to grow, new opportunities to learn about people who are different from themselves, and new opportunities to expand their horizons. And I wonder about what motivates our change. What is it that makes some of us seek it out while others are so resistant? And what makes us willing to accept change on some issues, but not at all on other things?

There is a theory that a friend described to me that says we only experience real change through crisis. That applies to individuals and to institutions. Think about how resistant to change large companies or churches can be, until the point when they realize that they are in crisis. Many large brick and mortar stores who have been dominant in the past have gone out of business because they didn't understand how to adapt to the change in culture.

It is my hope that in my life it will not take crisis for me to continue to grow and change. In order to do that, my hope is to continue to change through challenge. If I am going to become someone new, if I am going to learn something new, it will happen because I am challenged.

Think of the difficulty of learning a new skill like a new musical instrument. It is uncomfortable. It is frustrating. Often you may feel like throwing up your hands and quitting. And yet, if you persevere, you learn something new. And you become different.

As a pastor I view so many things through the lens of the church. Sometimes people come into a church and want it to be what it has always been. That is comforting, but it isn't challenging. It isn't helping anyone to grow. It may simply be reinforcing an understanding that was appropriate at a different time, but may now need to be reexamined. But if those things are never challenged, there will never be growth.

Find a community that challenges you to become a better member of our society, a better follower of your tradition, a better human. Don't run from challenge, embrace it, because through challenge comes change. And change is good. It is the only constant.

Grace to you,
Pastor Chris