Issue 021
Do you ever get irritated at being told to change? Many company programmes are designed to help people change. They often go under the name of development or progress but the subtext is still change. Now ask yourself a question. Have I really changed? I dont mean your behaviour or your skill, but you as a person. Are you any different to what you were five, ten, twenty or thirty years ago? Sure you have more wisdom and you know more about life, but are you the same person? Yet the message is the same–change. Go to church and you will hear it from the pulpit. And you are supposed to take that to work with you.
As far as I can see Jesus never attempted to change anyone’s
personality. That’s not to say that nothing happened when he was around.
Everything happened when he was around. But was it personality
change? The people He spent most time with were the twelve
disciples. It’s worth having a good look at their experience. Seven of
them were fishermen. Into their world steps Jesus Christ and says,
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” In other words he was
saying, I will take who you are and what you do and put it together in a
new way. Now if you think about it, that’s what carpenters do. Jesus,
the master craftsman, was going to fashion these fishermen into fishers
of men. No doubt they had their different styles and tastes. Some would
have been best mending the nets, others spotting the fish and others
sailing the boat. These styles, skills and personalities where now going
to be put together in a new way but Peter was still Peter, James and
John didn’t become Martha and Mary. The same carpenter who could
see a table in a tree could see the potential in the fishermen. In this
sense He brought out the best in them. He re-fashioned the damaged
parts and repaired the broken pieces. When they became new
creatures they didn’t become new personalities, they were still
recognisable. Their characters may have been refurbished but not
replaced.
This is the Carpenter’s approach to your life and work. He fashions and
shapes and helps you find deeper meanings. He takes who you are and
what you do and makes it into something for God. So have a look at
what you do; that’s what he’ll take. But don’t expect a personality
transplant. He’s much more affirming than accepting than that. He’ll
work with the original wood to make a fine piece but it’ll still be you.
Thank God.
Mark 1:9 – 20
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
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Geoff Shattock
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