Changing our Lives

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Many people struggle in life and don't even like their lives. Some of those dissatisfied people are jealous of others, thinking 'the grass is greener on the other side.' But the truth is, the grass is greener where you water it. Comparison is the seed for jealousy, and nothing good ever comes from jealousy. Many people want to change their lives, but either fail to do so or don't know how to change. Or, they start, don't see the results they want after a short time and revert back to the 'old ways,' how they used to live. They are disappointed in themselves or blame the system that failed them. A sense of resentment sets in and they become less open to change and are afraid to try again. Some mock those who encourage change and become cynical towards those who succeed to improve their lives. It is hard to change our lives. We need ways to change that actually work. We need guidance and direction. And even if we want to change, we often lack the power to do so. We need strength and strategy to change. 

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The key to a changed life is repentance. It means to 'turn around'; to change direction and walk in a different one. In terms of our lifestyles, it means to walk away from a life of sin and start living a life for God. We acknowledge that what we do is wrong or not working, and we embrace what is right before God and learn His ways in life. Pretending we have no sin is fooling ourselves (1 John 1:8). The way to liberty is to confess your sin and to receive forgiveness from the One who died for your sin (v 9). The key to why repentance works is not only that we become honest with ourselves (instead of blaming others and making fake excuses) and start taking responsibility for our lives, repentance also brings God, His truth and His power into the equation. God is the 'game-changer.' As is well known, we cannot change what we don't acknowledge, the things we deny to be wrong or not working. We cannot change unless we take responsibility for our lives and start acting in the right ways. Only with honesty and responsibility can we make lasting changes. But we need God to empower us, because so often we fall back into old habits and ways of thinking. We condemn ourselves, hide in shame and think (wrongly!) that God has given up on us. Here's the good news: He hasn't! He is Emanuel, 'God with us,' and who came to take away our sins (Matthew 1:21-25). There is forgiveness from sin and that is the beginning of true change. It is a new life in the grace of God through humility. 

 

The promise of Scripture is that God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5), those who can admit that they need help. Grace is for those who receive the word of truth with humility and meekness (James 1:17-21). This implanted word of truth empowers us to be doers of the word, experience the freedom from the true law of liberty (vv 22-25) and express true religion in action and purity (vv 26-27). The humble are blessed and theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). Jesus promised that He would not reject anyone who comes to Him (John 6:37). Many people suffer greatly from rejection. It is painful. But there is no rejection from God when we come to Him in humility. There is power in humility (Luke 18:9-14; see D2). There is no condemnation or rejection from God, even when we come to admit our sins. He is faithful and true to forgive us, not punish us (1 John 1:9; see A7). Jesus didn't come to condemn, but to save (John 3:16-17). David wrote of the power of God's forgiveness (Psalm 32; see E32) and the power of genuine repentance (Psalm 51; see E31). Concealing sins doesn't work; a cover-up or blaming others is a wrong strategy. Honesty in confession and abandoning what is wrong is the right strategy, and we find mercy with God and people (see Proverbs 28:13). An honest apology can go a long way. It's an expression of humility, and humility is the fundamental way to approach God. He can change our lives like no once can. Here's a great story to illustrates this point.

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The Despised 'Bad Guy' in Town​

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In the town of Jericho, ​believed to be the oldest city in the world, lived a rich man. His name was Zaccheus. However, he wasn't rich by hard work, responsible landownership or clever investments; he was rich by fraud and extortion. We may rightly assume that he was greedy. His profession and position of power opened the opportunity for corruption to enrich himself at the expense of others. Being a tax collector isn't in itself a sinful profession, but the abuse of power for theft and corruption within a given system certainly is. Think of the abuses today, especially in politics. Back in the days, tax collectors collected taxes from fellow Jews on behalf of the Roman occupying force and the position was often abused to extort people for more money and enrich themselves at the expense of the weak and poor. A tax collector was, therefore, a despised profession. It was seen as treason and treachery. Tax collectors were considered traitors. And when we learn that the name 'Zaccheus' means 'pure, innocent or just,' we might have a laugh or think that he either had the wrong name or chose the wrong lifestyle and profession! Not surprisingly, the people of Jericho didn't like him.

 

Perhaps it's no coincidence that this man lived in the oldest city in the world, as greed is as ancient as humanity, a sin that plagued humanity throughout history. Being rich is not a negative things or a sin; being rich by fraud and extortion is. The love of money (greed) is the root cause of all kids of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). We are to be generous, not greedy (Matthew 6:19-23); to serve God, not Mammon ('wealth') and trust God for His provision (vv 24-34). And here's the kicker in the story of Zaccheus: when Jesus was passing through Jericho, he invited Himself to dine with Zaccheus (Luke 19:5), the 'bad guy' in town! Why would He do that? This, at first, didn't make Jesus popular; people even complained about it. But Jesus never did the 'popular' thing to please the crow; He did the right thing to please God. 

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Zaccheus, being short in stature, wanted to see this famous Rabbi (Jesus) as He was passing through town, and had to climb up a tree to do so (Luke 19:3-4). The news of Jesus had been spreading around Judea and beyond for some time, so here He was. Now it was Jericho's time to see the Miracle Worker and uncompromising Teacher of truth. Interestingly, one of Jesus' followers was a tax collector, like Zaccheus was, who had left the trade to follow the Rabbi from Nazareth (Matthew 9:9-13). Perhaps that also motivated Zaccheus to see Jesus. Perhaps there was hope even for him. Zaccheus was the 'bad guy' in town—with few, if any, friends, presumably. 

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Be that as it may, when Jesus stood under the tree on which Zaccheus sat, 'He looked up to him' and spoke to him about visiting his house (Luke 19:5). Jesus didn't despise Zaccheus. He didn't look down on him. Jesus, unlike many religious people at the time, didn't condemn and despise sinners; He offered them God's mercy to change their ways. Jesus neither condemned sinners, nor did he condone sin. He came to set people free and show them the right way in life. He offered them repentance to find salvation. He came to seek those who were lost and would return to God. Yet the crowds were upset. They grumbled at the fact that Jesus would visit 'a sinner' (v 7). But that is exactly why He came: to call sinners to repentance—to change their lives by giving them a chance to turn to God, leave the sinful ways and embrace the responsibility of a moral life in service of humanity. Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). It is the sick who need a physician. God desires mercy and compassion, not religious duty (Matthew 9:12-13). Jesus was a friend of sinners because He accepted them with love and showed them the way of repentance as the way back to God (see Q6). He didn't approve of their sins or justified them, but He did show them mercy. Condemning people is wrong; showing them the way to God is right. Jesus didn't approve of sin, yet He didn't condemn the sinner. He came to save sinners from their sins. Mercy, humility and repentance was the way. 

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Zaccheus was a sinner in need of mercy. He knew he was a sinner, but didn't know how to get out of the corruption and fraud he was in. Could Jesus help him change his life? When Jesus extended kindness and acceptance to him, he responded with humility and repentance. He didn't get offended; he didn't make excuses; he was honest and took responsibility for what he had been doing wrong—and his actions showed it. He would give half of his wealth away to the poor and restore the money he had extorted by fraud (Luke 19:8). This turn-around (repentance) in his life was 'salvation' (v 9). Jesus rescued him from a life of sin and greed. Restitution in generosity was the evidence of a changed life. Jesus came to seek and save sinners lost in the darkness of sin (v 10). It was a powerful encounter with life-changing results. The goodness of God leads the humble to repentance! Zaccheus demonstrated what John the Baptist called, bearing fruits of repentance (Matthew 3:8). True repentance brings forth deeds to prove it. Real faith has actions to show it. I'm sure that those who grumbled about Jesus visiting the 'sinner' Zaccheus, did not do so after he had distributed his wealth and repaid those he cheated. Jesus not only saved a sinner; He brought blessing to many others, too. Jesus was tough, often harsh, with unrepentant and judgmental people, but merciful to humble ones (see Q6). Jesus came to save life and change lives—by mercy and compassion. Jesus is the Light of the world so that people no longer walk in the darkness of sin but find the light of life in God's will.

 

Heaven rejoices over a repenting sinner (Luke 15) and so should we! The returning son in that parable of Luke 15, is the repenting sinner. The father received him back without condemnation. Jesus received Zaccheus without condemnation. To repent means to return; it's coming home to the Father's house, the place of true belonging with God. Repentance is the first step to a changed life. It leads to salvation and the newness of life.