April 19, 2012

Comments (26)

  • It wouldn't , I am of that belief already. ;)

  • in theory, i would probably be disheartened and maybe even adjust temporarily my behaviors in response to suddenly reaching that conclusion/ realization.

    but i would hopefully be reminded that it doesn't matter -- i would still be convicted to love, or try to at any rate, to love unconditionally. 

    but the fact is, i do know people change. i am living proof of it! -- as are others.  believer and non believer are both capable of tremendous change for good and for evil (adding that only b/c of a blog which reminded me of such just a few mins. ago)

    ps. your delta just reminded me.  honor society i used to belong to was called alpha delta omega. .

  • GRR!! I have tried commenting TWICE, and each time my internet has decided to suck and delete my comment in the process. Grumble grumble. 

    Basically my comment said that I would be drawn to different people because currently I try to "fix" people.

  • Ha.  I happen to be going through that very thing right now.  Coming to the conclusion that people do not change, and it has changed me to be less good of a person myself.  I've changed to care less, and give less, because that is all that can be expected in return no matter what I do anyway.  I do not like the change.  It is not good.  I know that it is the devil winning.  I think I just hope for my life to soon be over(actually I pray for Jesus' return) since so little can be expected from people nowadays.  No loyalty, no trust, no work ethic, no integrity... no nothing.

    There's a scripture that hit home with me a few months back...
    "don't throw your pearls to swine..."

    Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

    I feel I have been throwing my pearls to swine my whole life and only getting trampled in the process.  So now I am selective of who I give my time to, which means my circle is greatly shrunk... and I think more of myself, which for me is not natural.. nor is it good.

    The path is narrow... and lonely.  I'm just not thick skinned enough, or strong enough, to keep 'throwing my pearls to swine'... I'll keep them for myself thank you.  That's how it's changed me.

    Sorry, I've been down for awhile and that's just how things look to me at the moment.  I'm sure the light will shine again... one day... when God wills it.

  • Actually some people make it very easy to believe that.

  • I see "deep thoughts" and my brain starts to hurt..

    THANKS A LOT!

  • I might possibly stop letting people use me because I give them the benefit of the doubt all the time.  Also I would campaign for the death penalty for more crimes.

  • So would this me that I wouldn't be able to change either? That would be depressing... I think I like to believe people can change, because I want to be able to change.

  • This question REALLY hits home to me, given a situation that has been really bearing down hard upon me as of late.

    Apart from the grace and power of God, people can't and won't change (e.g. - can the leopard change his spots; the dry bones in Ezekiel 37). If not for that hope of God's intervention, I'd be perpetually hopeless about others – as well as myself. This is our recourse (from Ezekiel 37): Prophesy to the bones and prophesy to the Breath (i.e. - speak the Word to people and all the while keep praying to God).

  • Well, I've changed.
    So either the basis of your question is false or I am not a person.

    I suppose my life would change dramatically if I found out I wasn't a person. I would wonder, what am I? What is this changing creature who is so similar to a person so as to self-delude himself into thinking he was a person? Because People. Never. Change.

  • @lanney - I like your answer about the death penalty. That's a good one.

  • Yeah, the death penalty thing is good. I have seen people change so I would probably start thinking that those people were fake and pretending and then get angry when the "act" didn't show any cracks. So much of my motivation in reading and traveling and volunteering is for personal growth and change and to help others change... I would probably get depressed and feel like nothing mattered.

  • But....... they do! It's weird this came up, because I had a dream recently where someone said something about people not changing and in the dream I was like, "well, obviously they do. or else we'd all still be babies." although in the dream I knew that wasn't what they meant. 

  • Well, then there would be nothing like second chances. Forgiveness would be rarer. If people did not change, chances are, we would not be able to form long lasting relationships with anyone because we fall, get and learn a lot no matter what relationship that is. If we couldn't change, we would all be dead in a way. 

  • If I believed that people didn't change?

    I'd choose better friends. My inner circle would be filled mostly with people whom I could trust, be comfortable with, be inspired by, and inspire as well.
    People who need change would go outside of that inner circle.

  • @JstNotherDay - I think you're on the right track. There is a balance to be found between throwing your pearls to swines and "thinking about yourself" more than you're comfortable with. I hope you find it soon and find peace.

    Remember, Jesus instructed the disciples to go and spread the good news to everyone, which  meant sharing with the "swines" as well. But He also said that if they were rejected, they should kick off the dust off their sandals and move on. My 2 cents.

  • I see what you did there with the title.  Nerd-props to ya.

  • if people don't change, I just have to change the way how I think about it.

  • @Bokgwai - Hi.  Thanks.  Do you believe God sends us affirmations?  Your words were an affirmation to me today.  I just happen to have read, and wrote down, that very scripture passage this morning, Matthew 9:13-14 about 'keeping your peace' and 'shaking the dust off your feet'.  And I reflected that, my problem is that the rejections of men(meaning people, not just the male gender) mean too much to me.  I am not able to just shake off rejection so easily.

  • Um... People don't change who they are they just change their actions.  I don't believe a persons actions make the entirety of the person...
    So... My life wouldn't be different.

  • I probably would end up friendless and foreveralone somewhere. My first impressions of people are typically not that great.

  • @Bokgwai - about my earlier reply... that was supposed to be Matthew 10:13-14 (not 9:13-14).

  • I would not be divorced.

  • @Bokgwai - Hit it on the head.

    I believe people can change but it's either by force or choice. None of which would make change "necessery." Just feasible.

    Peace and Love

  • @diditdreaming - well said.

  • @JstNotherDay - I 100% believe in affirmations from God. I remember my pastor said once that God speaks to us through the Word, through the body of Christ, and through the Holy Spirit. You can't just depend on one and ignore the others. But if you get affirmations and confirmations through 2 of the 3 or even 3 of the 3, we have greater confidence to move forward.

    I understand and empathize with your struggle regarding human disappointment. It's a hard one to navigate. And it takes time, determination, and sometimes healing to grow out of it.  But you know you struggle with it, which is an important step. If you commit to growing in this area, you will get there.  And this is coming from a recovering people-please-a-holic. 

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