New Wine 

 By Gary Moore

I have heard it said that if adults had to endure the pain a child goes through during the process of teething, it would possibly kill them. It takes a lot of effort to simply grow up! Just think what it is like to go through the tedious process an infant experiences when they first begin to walk. There is the awkwardness, the insecurity, the unfamiliarity – and the pain a thump on the head will bring if there is a fall.

Yet, if we decided to remain only crawling on our hands and knees, we would never be blessed with the experience of full mobility. It seems to be a living law that “where there is no pain, there is no gain.” Still, I can think of a few exceptions. By far the greatest is our salvation, which is a huge gain that we acquire as a free gift – given to us according to God’s grace. However, in many things there is definitely an element of truth in that old saying.

Growth requires change. We have to be willing to go through a period of awkwardness when we enter a new experience or arena in which we are incompetent. We need to become humble learners; we must be willing to suffer a bit as we try the new and unfamiliar.

When confronted with something new that requires change, we have a powerful tendency to want to return to the status quo. When Jesus introduced the gospel message, there were those who said, “The old (wine) is better” (Luke 5:36-39). They were familiar with the old and so they initially rejected the new. Yet, it is only through fully embracing Jesus and the gospel that we can be saved and have eternal life. The “old wine” is definitely not better. However, it is what people were used to.

This desire for stability and for the familiar is quite understandable. We could never survive if everything were in constant flux. Still, we must be careful that this desire for the routine and familiar doesn’t block genuine growth and improvement. Christians are called to a life of change and growth. God’s will for each of us that we are to be maturing in Christ-likeness (Ephesians 4:15). So whether it is in the physical realms of our lives, or in the spiritual, we need to retain a willingness to learn and grow.

All change isn’t necessarily good change. We need to seek wisdom to understand what we are doing, and come to see the benefit that would occur if we changed. If indeed it would be a positive change, then we need the courage, faith and Godly confidence to go ahead and “give it a shot.”

Remember the vision of how things would improve if you made the change? Keep that vision in front of you, and it will give you hope when you face the inevitable pull to return to the old way.

In life, change is inevitable. We are either moving forward or backward. Either way, we are moving. Standing is merely an illusion – it masks the fact that if we aren’t growing we are slowly slipping back. God has called us to change.

Jesus Christ promises to never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Our heavenly Father is there to pick us up if and when we fall. The Holy Spirit is there to lead and encourage us. The Universe is a safe place for God’s children. So don’t be afraid to change.

Just remember, if you hadn’t pulled yourself up into a vertical position and put one foot in front of the other, you would never have learned to walk. You probably fell a few times – likely you shed a few tears and had to be comforted by your parents. But you did it. Aren’t you glad you did?

This article first appeared in the Canadian Northern Light of January/February 2003 and was used with permission.