Be the Change

One of my all time favorite stories in the Bible is about a man with leprosy.  The man approached Jesus and knelt down before Him.  "Lord," the man said, "if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."  Without a seconds thought, "Jesus reached out and touched him." "I am willing," He said.  "Be healed!" "And instantly the leprosy disappeared."  Matthew 8: 1 - 3

This story is rich with meaning for us. Today, however, my thoughts turn to Jesus' words, "I am willing."  Jesus said, "I am willing."  I have to ask myself -- am I willing? 

Am I willing to love?
Am I willing to give?
Am I willing to share?
Am I willing to help?
Am I willing to serve?
Am I willing to listen?
Am I willing to accept?
Am I willing to forgive?
Am I willing to wait?
Am I willing to compromise?
Am I willing to put others needs before mine?

If I am to strive to be like Jesus, I need to be willing.  Willing to be a better person. We all do.

Just think what our world would be like if more people were willing to go the extra mile.  Think about how much better our churches would be if more people were willing to serve.  Think about our work places - how much nicer it would be to spend so many hours with people that were willing to get the job done right the first time.  What about our marriages - what if we were more willing to compromise.  My new Pastor said something a couple Sundays ago that struck me.  He said, "Marriage is less about finding the right person as becoming the right person."

Becoming the right person means being willing. It starts with me. It starts with you.  We can be the change we want to see in the world.  But we have to be willing.

Are you willing?

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."
Matt. 6:33             He will give us everything we need to be the change.