What have you changed your mind on recently? Odd question I know. This past week I was able to attend the Orange Conference from the comfort of my own home. I was so excited building up to this event. It’s a family ministry conference where over 8,000 leaders gather every single year just north of Atlanta. With everything going on, they made the obvious decision to move online. Even though nothing could take the place of being there in person, there was so much great content that my brain has been hurting since it ended as I try to process what I learned from incredible leaders all over the world. One of the questions posed was “what have I changed my mind on?” A lot of time we get so fixed on being right and doing things our way that we completely shut down the idea that someone else may have a great idea or heaven forbid we may have actually been wrong.
There is power in changing our mind on something. Changing our mind shows humility. Changing our mind shows that we have the ability to adapt, to be vulnerable, to grow, and to be corrected when we are wrong. All of these characteristics are crucial to leading well or having healthy relationships. No organization is healthy if there is a leader at the top not willing to change their mind when necessary. No relationship is healthy if both people involved are not willing to change their mind.
Let’s read John 8:1-11. What we have is the encounter between Jesus, the woman caught in adultery, and religious leaders. The religious leaders brought this woman in front of a crowd, ready to embarrass her publicly, ready to throw stones at her until she died. They had their mind made up. They were committed. They knew they were right because they said the law of Moses said to stone her. Then we read where Jesus multiple times reached down and drew something in the sand. We don’t know what it said, but we know got everyone’s attention. We also read where Jesus said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” We go on to see that when the accusers heard this they began to slip away one by one until the only two people remaining were Jesus and the woman. The accusers who were so set on stoning this woman publicly changed their mind.
Changing our mind can bring growth, life, and freedom as it did with this woman. What areas of our lives is their room to change our mind? How can your marriage benefit from both of you changing your mind? How can your relationships with your kids benefit from changing your mind? How many relationships that have been broken could be restored by changing our minds on something? How can your business become healthier from changing your mind on something?
So, take some time to think about things that you have changed your mind on in the past and things that you need to consider changing your mind on now? Here are a couple thoughts to remember as you think through this idea.
Changing our mind should always lead us towards love and compassion, not condemnation.
Changing our mind should always lead to growth instead of putting up more walls.
Changing our mind will be uncomfortable and challenge us, but think of the potential impact.
Changing our mind should always help us or someone else know Jesus more clearly.
Have a great day!
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