People Change...

but not much. I laugh every time I hear that quote by Will Rogers. Then, after my little chuckle, his words haunt me. People do change...some for the better, some for the worse. Heck, some people go from good to bad and vice versa. But maybe that's the point. When a good person goes bad because of circumstances or whatever, were they really good in the first place? And if a bad person rehabilitates, were they really that bad? So I guess you'd have to say they changed...but not much.

On the other hand II Corinthians 5:17 says that when you become a Christian you're a new creation, everything has changed, everything about you is new. God reconciles us to himself through Jesus AND makes us agents of reconciliation. So, how come we don't see huge, dramatic changes in ourselves and others who get saved? Yeah, yeah, I know there are absoultely stunning miraculous changes in some people upon conversion (Paul of Tarsus comes to mind), but that's not the norm. When minimally bad people like me (tongue in cheek) get saved, no one but God can see our hearts, so who would even know I am (we are) brand new? Really, a whole new creature. There's a verse in Romans that says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Yep, all, as in everyone, which includes me. I know...that's hard to believe. Then again, I remember little ole me, years ago before meeting Jesus, next thing to goodie-two-shoes I was. Remembering. Remembering. Oh yeah, all of sinned!

Today I'm feeling particularly grateful for GRACE. The grace of God that overlooks and forgives my shortcomings (okay, sins). The grace of others who overlook and tolerate my peculiarities (okay, sins). The grace of family and close friends who encourage me and tell me I'm okay. Even though we both know sin isn't okay. Thank God, Jesus died for that. Thank God, I'm a new creation, good enough for Him, but not because of anything I did. No boasting here, you can be sure of that. By grace I have been saved, through faith. I changed...a lot...internally and eternally speaking.