How many of us ever stop to think about the chances we have to make choices which will bring about changes in our lives?

For most (in our privileged society) these can range from the everyday –  what to wear or what to buy – through to longer-term issues involving our lifestyle, relationships, education, employment and housing.

Tucked in amongst all these are the opportunities to vote for our choice of representatives in various organisations, and local or national government. Then there are the chances to support charities or action groups seeking to raise the profile of issues such as poverty, animal welfare, the environment and so on.

Democratic societies (in the widest sense) allow their citizens the chance to make choices to enable potential changes in governmental issues.

In practice, this may be hard to see, but the bottom line is that all changes, good or bad, start with individuals.

In the Bible we are taught about this in the story of ‘The Good Samaritan’ (Luke chapter 10, verses 25-37). Briefly, Jesus was asked what must be done to earn eternal life. The reply centred around love – for God, and for one’s ‘neighbour’.

The story told of a man who was attacked, robbed, and left to die at the roadside. Two ‘respectable’ men saw him and ignored him, not wishing to ‘get their hands dirty’. A third, from an ethnic group despised by many, went to the victim’s aid willingly and generously. Who was the victim’s neighbour? Obviously, the one who helped him – he saw the chance and made a choice to make a positive change in someone’s life.

We can all make positive differences, but the best place to start is to grab the chance to make the choice to allow God to change our own lives by accepting Him.      

David King

Okehampton Baptist Church