«For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known». (1st Corinthians 13:9-12).
What happens when we build relationships with other people? These relationships uncover in us the faults we have not seen before. In every one of us there is a lot of dross that needs to be cleansed out so that we could conform to the image of Jesus Christ.
Many people declare themselves to be perfect since they are a new creature and the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Dear friends, it is good to have faith. But it is not enough to believe these things in our hearts and to confess them with our mouths. If we neglect the instruments of transformation that God ordained to change us, then our actual lives will be far from our confessions.
Our God is the God of relationships, and He uses relationships to change us. Every relationship influences those that are involved. The divine goal for every relationship is for us to be changed through them, be perfected and grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
My life preaches even when I don’t know about it. This is why it is so important to be changed so that our lives reflect what we say and comply with it. Our lives must be our loudest sermon and not our words. It is the will of God for us.
God changes us not only through trials and hardships, but also through His grace and mercy.
«When I was young my imagination did not know any boundaries. And I wanted to change the whole world. In time I realized that I wouldn’t be able to change the world, so I tried to change my country. When I realized that I wouldn’t be able to change the country, I concentrated on changing my city. But I couldn’t change my city either. So, when I had grown older, I tried to change my family. Now when I am an old man waiting to cross over to the other side I have understood that the only one I could change was me. Suddenly I realized that if I had worked on changing myself I would have been able to really affect my family and then my family and I could have affected the city. Through the changes in the city we could have changed the country and the world”.
1. God changes us through accountability.
In order to change us, God often subordinates us to a person we have to give an account to. A person without responsibility is blind to see his own level of arrogance, rebellion and selfishness he has to get over. Accountability is a kind of protection from misbelief and self-deception for us.
Transformed person serves other people because he loves them, not in order to benefit from them. It makes me sad when I meet people who minister because it gives them a certain benefits. It´s awfully hard to change a person who has such motives. Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus was one of this kind. For three and a half years he had stayed with Jesus, but in no way it changed him, because he had sinister motives. Judas Iscariot was greedy, money loving man. Jesus put Judas in charge with financial part of His ministry, so he had access to money and offerings. First Judas began to steal money from their pay-box, later also betrayed his Master.
«But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law». (Galatians 5:22-23).
These are the changes God wants to make in us. He doesn´t want us to be people with “big head” and with “small heart”. Neither it´s His intention to see us as those who only hold a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Bible invites us to turn away from such people.
«Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does» (James, 1:21-25).
The way that Jesus will lead us on won’t always be smooth and easy. The Bible tells us that Jesus Himself endured the hostility, the cross and the shame. It means that Jesus will also lead us through the valleys of death and tears; this way is not pleasant and desired, but it is good for us, because God only knows what we need. The disciples followed Jesus not only when He spoke pleasantries, but also when He rebuked or corrected them. They followed Him even when they did not understand the true meaning of His words. The simply trusted His wisdom.
