To change means to make something different, alter or modify something, or replace something with something else. Change happens every day around us, sometimes in subtle ways and other times in very drastic ways. Change could be positive or negative. Many people do not like change because it may make them feel uncomfortable. Life is so dynamic that change is usually inevitable. Your environment and the people around you act on you every day. For example, you read books that inspire you and transform your life habits. The music you listen to can subtly set the tone for your life decisions or relationship choices. The colleges you attend help to shape your career and pattern of thinking. Your friends will do or say things that could affect you greatly and alter the trajectory of your life. Even the movies you watch can impact your thought pattern. In short, we change our environment and are in turn, changed by it. Jesus, our Lord and Master, wasn’t afraid to speak about change; in fact, he advocated that we, his followers, be change agents. He desired that we act on our environment and not simply be acted upon by it. He came proposing and instituting the greatest change ever; substituting physical laws (commandments) with laws written in the heart (the Holy Spirit). He came to disrupt people’s normal way of thinking. He encouraged deviation from the normal standards. “If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other.” Imagine that! He preached fire-filled messages encouraging people to turn from sin to God. He even provided a physical change to people’s bodies as he healed them from sicknesses! Every step of the way, he encouraged us, his followers, not to be mediocre or fade into the background. When He said “You’re the light of the world”, He meant that your very existence in any environment should cause such a significant effect that it cannot be denied. When light appears, its presence is indisputable. Light brings visibility, warmth, and direction. Your life must demonstrate these characteristics of light. Wherever you find yourself, you must show others the right way in life. You must bring clarity to people’s lives. You must show forth good works to God’s glory. When Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth”, he implied that your life should create a positive difference. As we know, salt is not a passive substance; it’s very active. It evokes a sense of joy and happiness with the sweet taste that it brings. It also brings healing to wounds. If we are to be salt, we should bring healing and sweetness to every environment we find ourselves. Dear child of God, if you are truly representing your Father in heaven, you cannot be passive on earth! The world must feel your impact. You must make a difference through the words you say, the work you do, the activities you are involved in, and the things you create – the books you write, the movies you produce, the apps you develop, the organizations you start. As long as you are in this world, it must not remain the same! Remember, you are called to be an agent of change. So, make a difference today!

Dr. Mrs. Oluchi Ugwunne