Acts 11:1-18

I think the burden to explain change rests upon the one causing the changes.  A lot of times people who want to implement change just figure that they can go do it.  They think about it for a long time, embrace the idea, and then implement it.  The problem is that other people haven't had the benefit of having that much time.  They have this new information shoved on them all of a sudden and are forced to respond.  

Usually this response will be something like rejection of the change.  But if you take the time to explain the reasoning behind it, help them embrace the idea, and show them why it's happening, people will be much more supportive.  It's just harder to do it that way, but it's a whole lot more productive.  JM

Acts 9:32-35

The emotional part of a decision is usually the easiest.  Like saying you want to lose weight, or quit smoking, or whatever.  It's the follow-through that gets a little bit tough.  But that's really the whole point of commitment.  That's what makes change remarkable: it looks so dramatically different.  Getting out of our "bed" is one thing, but it's something altogether different to "make our bed".  JM

Acts 9:27-28

It's tough to become a new person. It's tough to change. It's easy to be stuck in a rut. Once you're known for something, people expect you to keep it up. They wait for you to do more of the same. Whether it's something positive or negative. The problem is that these expectations make it harder for people to change. If a student is known as a troublemaker, the other students freak out when they don't do something bad. If a student is known as a perfect kid, then they have to basically kill somebody and eat them to shake off that image.
That's why the role of Barnabas is so important. Somebody that will come alongside people and encourage them. Help them through their transition and see the desire for change, for improvement. I wish I was more like that. JM

Change

Change isn't easy. Here's a fascinating photo essay about a guy that was in prison for 16 years for a crime he didn't commit. It's interesting to watch his transition to freedom and his struggle to fit in and the refusal of our society to accept that which does not fit into a norm beyond interacting with them as we would a carnival freak-show. JM

Follow-Through

I take in tons of information everyday. Most people do. With the internet, television, print, and other forms of media, it's almost impossible not too. I think what makes certain people excel is what they do with that information. How do they follow-through once they take in a new idea.
What's the point of learning something if the information doesn't lead you to change? JM