Colors of Change
(Photographs by Janet Sparks, Bloomfield, IN)
Autumn fall colors reflected in a lake

Fall is a beautiful time of year. We all enjoy the colors of the trees changing, and there are changes in our lives that involves everything from kids going back to school to preparation for winter to the beginning of the football season. Not all of us view these changes in a positive way. Not everyone is happy about kids going back to school nor is everyone thrilled with the start of football season. The fact is that whether we like it or not, change is coming and the trees turning color and the sight of leaves falling to the ground such as the picture above is a constant reminder that fall events are upon us.

Life is very similar to that. As we get older there are signs that tell us that major change is coming in our lives. Our hair turns gray or falls out or both, there is pain in our movements that was not there in the past, the way we gain weight, and our energy levels change whether we like it or not. All of the medication in the world will not stop the changes coming in our lives physically. Mentally and emotionally we have to adjust to the fact that our families are not functioning as they did in the past, and we experience the loss of friends and family making us aware of our own mortality.

One of the things that belief in God does to us is that it allows us to approach the changes that come to our lives in the same way we do the colors of fall. We can scream and fight the coming of fall, but it will still come. We can buy cosmetics and vitamin pills, but the winter of life still comes. When I was an atheist, I had to look at life with all of its problems, pain, struggles, and the awful things that happen to all of us as the very best that I was ever going to have. Now, as a Christian, I can look at life with all of its beauty, wonder, and the fantastic things we all enjoy as the absolute worst I am ever going to have to endure. How do you look at life--as the best you will ever have or the worst you will ever have to tolerate? Can you not see that this is the difference between the believer and the nonbeliever; as different as night and day, as black and white? If there were no other reason to believe in God but this one, it would be a compelling reason.

Up close view of autumn leaves


We can debate and fuss about things we do not understand or things we do not like in the way that God does things, but the fact is that all of those arguments and discussions have very little meaning when one is looking death in the face. The colors of change in the fall tell us winter is coming, and the colors of life tell us we will all soon stand before our Creator in judgment. Know why you believe what you believe, and intelligently trust in God to guide you to eternity.

--John N. Clayton

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