Have you ever thought what your life would be like if you did not have the capability to change your mind about things? Now, I don’t mean just being unwilling to change your mind; I mean not having the ability. Once you decide on something, that’s it. Think about it, we would stagnate, we would never be able to grow and adapt to circumstances. We would miss out on some amazing relationships! We couldn’t take advantage of the 7-day return policy offered by CarMax.
Being able to change our minds is a blessing from God. There are so many times that we all jump to conclusions without seeing the whole picture. Knowing that whatever decision we make about all things is what we are going to have live with, regardless, may cause us to think things through more thoroughly before we decide.
Take the Apostle Paul for an example. When we first meet him, it is as Stephen is being stoned in Acts 7:58-…the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Then we are told in Acts 8:1 that Saul approved of the killing of Stephen. Now, we don’t know how much information Saul knew about the church at this time. What we do know is that Saul, later Paul, had a zeal for serving God and felt the church was not of God, so he was doing whatever he could to stop it. He was making murderous threats against the church and putting Christians in prison. Not only was this happening in Jerusalem, but Saul also went to the High Priest and received letters that gave him permission to go into the synagogue in Damascus and search for disciples and imprison them as well. It was on this trip that Saul saw Jesus and was converted.
Saul’s conversion came after another disciple had to change his mind. The Lord called a disciple named Ananias to go baptize Saul. Ananias was not ready to accept this mission and made a statement of protest to the Lord, “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name” (Acts 9:13, 14). This was an understandable response. It was almost like Ananias was asking the Lord, “Why are you throwing me to the lions?” Jesus explained the reasoning to him, and Ananias changed his mind and went and baptized Saul.
Paul gives us a prime example of why it is important to be able to change our minds. Our first impression of him leaves us with a very negative view of him. He was approving and participating in the suffering and death of people who were not criminals but Christians! Just like with Ananias, many other disciples, were afraid of him. One disciple, Barnabas, saw Paul for the changed man that he was and took him to the apostles and related Paul’s story to them. The apostles changed their mind and Paul stayed with them in Jerusalem for a time until some of the Jews conspired to kill him (I guess they changed their mind about Paul too).
The ability to change our minds affords us opportunities we often take for granted. We may process information incorrectly and not get all the facts. Our first impressions of people may be wrong and that could cost us some great relationships. The list could go on and on. Praise be to God that He has given us the ability to think and reason and to change our minds.
Read I Timothy 1:12-17