As a girl, I had a pet chameleon. He would change his colorings to blend into his surroundings. My favorite pattern was when he was on top of the couch. His bright green would dull into sage greens, dark greens, and grays, and spread across his body would be a pattern of diamonds to mirror the sofa’s upholstery. I became more aware of the colors and patterns around me when I found Fupi (his name). Fupi changed his scales to blend in, to protect himself from predators. He changed based on what he saw and sensed.

Blending is easy to do. I cannot count the number of times that I have blended into a crowd. Or be in a Bible study and someone says something, something that makes me uncomfortable. As everyone murmurs in agreement, I get a pit in my stomach. I become afraid to voice the opposition in fear of getting judgmental stares or hearing stuff like “I thought that way once when I was your age.” Blending keeps us safe. Blending keeps us out of harm’s way and we become like one.

Change, on the other hand, is scary. Change requires action and having the awareness to see the colors and patterns around us, then possessing the boldness to break the pattern. But that’s scary. What if people look at me? What if people treat me like I’m a kid? I am just one person. How can I enact change by one thing?

Last week, when Abbi posted her piece on reflections, she used a photograph of water rippling. When you skip a rock into a lake, it hits the water once and creates several ripples that last long after the rock leaves. That’s what change is. One small change can create a ripple effect.

This year, I started playing Versle. It’s an app similar to Wordle where you have a Bible verse and you have to guess the reference in five guesses. It gives you clues based on what you guess. If it becomes green, then the number is correct and in the correct space. Yellow and the number is correct, but in the wrong space. One verse I came across was 1 Timothy 4:12 which is: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” Continuing into verse 13-14, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” 

Paul was writing to his young disciple Timothy. I wonder if Timothy had written to Paul, stating that he had hardships. I wonder if the church elders looked down upon Timothy because of his age, assuming he had little to nothing to offer. I wonder if Timothy felt discouraged. He wanted to be respectful to his elders, but also be obedient to the Lord. He did not want to be argumentative, but he had another perspective. So Paul encourages Timothy. Telling him not to let anyone look down upon himself because of his age, but to also be an example not only in his speech, but also in his conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Paul encourages Timothy to keep reading Scripture, to keep preaching and teaching, and to not give up. 

Who relates to that? Feeling like you cannot share your idea because of your age? I have. Twice already this year, I have gotten surprised looks when the person learned of my age. I have always looked younger than I was, I still remember getting my high school transcript after I graduated, and the receptionist asked, “Incoming freshman?” Timidly, I responded, “I just graduated.” But really I wanted to quip with, “Yeah, incoming college freshman.” 

But your age or your look doesn’t signify what you know. You have lived x amount of years and your life experience is uniquely yours. No one can take that away from you. It is okay to voice your opinion in Bible study or in a coffee shop. It is okay to say, “I don’t want to talk about this.” You might not be explicitly giving your opinion, but you are letting your feelings be known and you are changing the conversation. All while still being respectful and showing love in our actions.

So often we see change as something big. We see change as something that needs to be activated. What if change is already activated? What if change is already moving around and instead of blending into it, we go with the flow?

Think about it… Ruth was facing changes. Her husband, father, and brother-in-law died and her mother-in-law was returning to her home country. If Ruth had blended in and gone with the flow, she would have left her mother-in-law and stayed in her country with her people, never meeting Boaz and never started the line that would end with Jesus.

…if Mary had not broken the perfume over Jesus’ feet, then we would not have the symbolism for the preparation of Jesus’ burial and later His Resurrection. 

…Moses’ mother had taken the courage to send her baby boy down the river when all baby boys were called to be killed. If his sister Miriam had not kept an eye on Moses and spoken to the pharaoh’s daughter, then Moses’ mother would not have acted like his wet nurse and Moses would not have led the Israelites out of slavery. 

Change is active and all it takes is one single word, one single breath. It might feel useless but that’s the ripple effect. Like how Paul encouraged Timothy, let me encourage you, sisters:

Do not let anyone put you down. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot do or say something, because God has equipped you with gifts and talents. God breathed life into you and He has searched you and know you fully. He knows where you sit and when you rise, he knows your thoughts and knows the word on your tongue before you even utter it. Trust in the Lord and be obedient and I know the Lord will keep your paths straight. (Psalm 139 & Proverbs 3:5-6).

Elizabeth