鈥淭he guy in that picture is an idiot!鈥�
That is what I thought as I gazed at a photo of Sara and me on our wedding day.
Now, let me clarify:聽I was not an idiot for getting married.聽In fact, marrying Sara is one of the smartest things I have ever done. The problem is that the guy in that photo has no idea how to love the beautiful girl that he just married.聽
He has no idea how to be a good father.聽He worries way too much and is more angry than he ought to be.聽In short, he needs a lot of work.
The good news, though, is that the guy in that photo is not me.聽At least, he is not me anymore.聽I have grown up some in the last 22 years.聽I am still not a perfect husband or father, but I am a better one.聽I still worry, but I do it less often.聽I am a little more relaxed, kind, open and generous than I was when that picture was taken.聽
One of the most hopeful things about this life is that God designed living things to grow and change.聽In fact, in God鈥檚 kingdom, they not only change, but they change for the better.
Colossians chapter 3 outlines what this process look like.聽It starts by saying, 鈥淪ince, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.聽Set your minds on this above, not on earthly things鈥� (verses 1 and 2), and then it lists the very practical ways that is done.聽
By God鈥檚 spirit and power, we are to 鈥減ut to death鈥� things like anger, rage, malice and slander (verses 5 to 8).聽We are to 鈥渢ake off our old self鈥� (verse 9) and 鈥減ut the new self which is being renewed in the knowledge and image of its creator鈥� (verse 10).聽
This new self is clothed with qualities like compassion, kindness, patience, forgiveness and love (verses 12 and 13).聽
If you are feeling discouraged, remember that success has nothing to do with being perfect.聽Rather, it is about growing.
We can be changed for the better. After all, we walk with a God whose stated purpose is to 鈥渕ake all things new鈥� (Revelation 21:4).
