During the summer of ’65, my little brother and I would spend the days with our older brothers’ mom. She’d take care of us. Not one to get hungry, my lunch consisted of a huge 10- cent Ring Ding chocolate cake (this was years before the Ring Ding Jr. came out), and a small 15-cent soda. Twenty-five cents was all I needed to get by. I know, I know, you’re wondering how I was so lucky! Some Fridays, my little brother and I, and another kid named Eddie, would receive loose change from one of my older brothers, Ruben. After work on Fridays, he probably distributed no more than sixty to seventy-five cents total in change to us. Each of us was thrilled to get eighteen to twenty-five cents mostly in pennies, dimes, and nickels! We were rich! We howled, we saddled-up our imaginary ponies, and headed out the door, turn right, dash to the candy store, and grab some of those two-for-a-penny candies! Sometimes, we’d grab five-cent bags of chips, or Drake’s Devil Dog cakes for the same price! Change was important to us kids. We sometimes had our pockets full, but most of the time they were empty but for lint, or a hole starting to form. Some people, though, especially adults, didn’t like change; they liked bills, large bills. Today, forget loose-change, they want credit cards and more. I guess, no time for small change… As we age, we find there’s another form of change; one that is constant. Billions of people world-over, seek ways to reach a state of peace or perfection. They search inward, outward, downward, and sometimes, upwards, all attempts to be at one with either nature, the earth, themselves, or with God. Millions succeed while others fail. It’s great to be at peace with others, with self, and with God. But, there’s something missing…change. “You mean, I’ll need change as in pennies to get in?” “Will I have to pay a fee for happiness?” Will I need a bucket full of change, or a wheelbarrow filled with pennies, like the Chinese man who rolled one to a company to purchase a car? NO! But you will need a different type of change. Every attempt made by man to reach God, to achieve oneness, is one-sided, it’s initiated by man himself; It’s from our perspective. And it’ll never work. Oh, you’ll hum yourself away and you’ll feel serenity, but no change will occur within you. You’ll feel like you’re doing something good, but you’re not. From your stance it’ll look fine and might even cause you to feel good. But what does it look like from God’s perspective? It’ll look a lot different. That’s because it must be endorsed by God Himself. God says in Romans 3:10,12: “There’s none righteous, no, not one. There is none that seeks the Lord.” Isaiah 64:6 reads: “All your works are as filthy rags.” In a nutshell, our best efforts fall miserably short of God’s approval-because we’re sin-based, and He’s Holy and perfect. When He saves us, it’s through the sinless sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, and only God can forgive sin and save us.
Try a different approach; one not available anywhere on earth: ask God to come into your heart and to set up residence there. When He indwells you, He’ll bring about something you’ll never get anywhere else. He will bring change into your life. Lots of it! Not pennies… or nickels…but inner change. A transformation will take place because when you invite the King of the Universe into your heart, you actually marry Him! The two of you become One. Since you’re not changing for Him, it won’t be short-lived. It’s unlike changing for a girl/guy. Once they dump you, or hurt you, you say, “Later for this.” Not so with God. He initiates the changes from inside us. He transforms our personality and changes our attitude. Our outlook on life gets revamped. We begin to see and care for others as He does. We ultimately become like Him because we’ll have a new heart. His. When He changes you, you’ll feel like a kid running to the nearest candy store, except not for goodies (unless you want to), but with an excitement that’ll transform your life. God doesn’t need your loose change, He already bought your salvation and paid for your entrance to heaven. He’s even reserved a ‘pad’ (a residence) for you. Do you have change in the pocket of your heart? Give it to Him and He’ll change your life beyond comprehension.
God Bless!
Sam
Finding Laughter In Difficult Times
My life experiences in the good times and in very difficult times will hopefully inspire, encourage, and motivate others to take time to laugh, reflect, and seek God when difficulties in life arise.