Do you really want to die like an amoeba?

John Ortberg wrote the following in his book, “If You Want To Walk On Water, You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat”:

Too much comfort is dangerous. Literally.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, did an experiment some time ago that involved introducing an amoeba into a perfectly stress-free environment: ideal temperature, optimal concentration of moisture, constant food supply. The amoeba had an environment to which it had to make no adjustment whatsoever.

So you would guess this was one happy little amoeba. Whatever it is that gives amoebas ulcers and high blood pressure was gone.

Yet, oddly enough, it died.

Apparently there is something about all living creatures, even amoebas, that demands challenge. We require change, adaptation and challenge the way we require food and air. Comfort alone will kill us.

There are a lot of people who, like an amoeba, would wither away if it wasn’t for circumstances demanding change in their lives. Frank Tyger once wrote, “Some people would do anything to be able to do nothing.” That temptation to be lazy isn’t a healthy urge.

But making some changes just because your circumstances have reached such a compelling influence is half-hearted improvement, it’s change by compulsion rather than by choosing to progress your life because you can be better and do better.

The Apostle Paul helps us understand there is a reason for us to embrace change, and that reason has a name: Jesus Christ …

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy,” Ephesians 4:21-24.

Many of us make occasional changes when we have to, but Paul gives us a reason to make changes because we want to. Motivated by what Christ has done for us, we can partner with the Holy Spirit to become like Jesus. We can allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds (“… let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes …”), and we can throw off our old nature and put on a new nature, one “… created to be like God — truly righteous and holy.” Part of what that looks like is described in the remainder of the chapter in Ephesians 4, take some time to read it for yourself.

If you haven’t reached that place where you’re truly righteous and holy, then there’s plenty of change to accomplish. Will you embrace it and and choose to pursue such change? Or will you lounge as you are until circumstances put you in situations where you must make some changes?

Scotty