On Sunday, September 2, 2017, at Salem Church of God, Pastor Richard Triplett preached on how to Be the Change. My sketch notes from the sermon are above.
The big takeaway I received from the sermon was that in spite of the massive amount of transformation our world has faced in a few short decades, most of us still fear when things begin changing. It takes a certain amount of brokenness to make change possible. The saddest situation may be when we insist on things staying the same even when we admit it is broken.
Idols show up in the strangest places. An idol can be a beloved sports team, a movie start, musician, even an eletronic device. Where is my iPhone anyway? I have to find it before I hyperventilate!
Any person or object we tend to get obsessed with can be an idol. It can even be an idea. Perhaps you have problems giving up an idea that had run its course thirty years ago. Even churches and the old rituals we hold dear can become idols. Hymnals, Sunday best, bylaws and a tendency to keep doing things the same way can become idol. Change can become an idol, but it is much more likely the opposite, tradition and ritual gets idolized.
Be careful of idols. you may have one in the backyard and not be aware of it.
I have witnessed how hard change is at a newer as well as older company. And I have also had the privilege working for a company where change was the only thing constant. All the companies I’ve worked for wanted change but discovered pushback from customers as well as employees. It is ironic that the very change that will benefit customers can be rejected by those same consumers.
Whether you are a leader or follower, change is vital for companies and people to thrive. As the article says, it begins with you. It also takes lots of clear communication to explain why the change is needed and how it will benefit stakeholders in the long run.
One thing the article touched on was how the messy middle affects change. We talked about that in one of my MBA classes. A change initiative feels exciting in the beginning. But when you are in the middle of the change, it is so tempting to go back to the old ways. It takes a lot of determination, self-examination, and clear communication to make change happen.
Kids can be just as stubborn as older adults when it comes to change. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, change can be difficult!
Too often, adults know a change is coming, but figure kids will be able to deal with it because they are young. The truth is, every individual involved in a change needs to be informed and listened to, whether it’s the youngest or oldest member of a group.
So if a change is coming and it affects children, remember to be considerate of them and keep them informed in an age appropriate way. They have more in common with old dogs when it comes to teaching new tricks.
Cartoon of of two children staring at a snowman. One says, “One month, you’re king of the mountain. The next month, you’re a puddle.”
Winter is quickly fading away around here. All the snow people have met a disastrous end thanks to some warm temps and little reinforcing snow. Seasons remind us that change is around the corner no matter how young or old you are.
It also reminds us there are cycles in life. If you don’t like the way things are going, wait and they’ll change. On the other hand, if you’re king of the mountain, don’t get too comfortable up there. Things are bound to change sooner or later!
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