What happens when you change // explanations

What do you do when your worldview begins changing and you have to communicate that to people who are close to you and their view is still where you used to be? What do you say when your thought processes and doctrines begin to change and its antithetical to how you’ve always understood the world? What happens when you begin growing in Christ and you need to tell someone who isn’t growing as quickly as you are?

This is all about changing people and what that implies in their relationships with people around them. Something happens, a book is opened, a ground breaking event affects the way a person thinks or a conversation begins that shapes the way a person views what’s happening in the world. Then a next step is required. Suddenly, you can’t think the way you’ve always thought. You’re no longer free to do as you’ve always done. Change has occurred and you now feel a sense of responsibility to do something about that change.

Another step is also required. Because of this new sense of urgency or because of a new-found passion or whatever the case may be, you feel a necessary pull to bring those closest to you along for the ride. Only, the problem is, they don’t necessarily want to come. There is a profound comfort in leaning in to the traditional method, not breaking the barriers of the thought processes that have always led them to the same conclusions. I think theirs is a fear and a knowledge of what change implies. People recognize that if change occurs, they will have to take action. Furthermore, they will also have to have these same conversations which force them to communicate with people who aren’t ready for change…that they have changed.

Ultimately, I think it is the basic idea of communicating change that prevents movements from happening. We make take any issue, but we will use race relations from the past century or two as it is recognized across the board. A change in thought began as some realized we are pressing forward “equal rights” and yet there are millions who are not given that respect. A passionate cry arose and people began to communicate a mindset shift which would ultimately require action and a movement happened. Now I do not mean to debase the process that affected so many by placing it in such simple terms, but suppose those who could affect change had kept quiet and refused to communicate this for fear of reprisal. No action would have taken place. But it seems it take the courage to get over that first step of communicating that “I have changed” to begin something.

As I’ve said, I think we can use any example to explore this idea, and I think ultimately we have to take this down to the minute levels of our everyday lives. That is, in some small way we are always changing and growing, but so often we suppress those ideas and do not communicate them for fear of destroying a friendship or frustrating the communication of a marriage. But, I wonder what kind of movements we are not witnessing as a result of the changed sealing their lips.

Mainly, I wonder what the revolutionaries say to themselves to finally press themselves over the cliff-edge and just begin the conversation. Is it an, “I no longer care what people think, we must begin this conversation,” or is it an “I care too much about you and what you think not to start this conversation,” or is it some hybrid between the two? What is the next step?