You can't have real un-noticed change

Looking at my pictures above, you'll notice I've changed a bit.  I changed with guidance from liveRIGHTnow (http://www.liverightnowonline.com/).  One thing you won't notice is the change has happened all over... not just my face and belly.  There are changes you don't notice, however, in the pictures:  I have more energy, I can actually run now, I can even wear out a four year old rather than the other way around.  Another thing I thought was odd is my shoes and caps now fit differently as well.  I have a pair of loafers that I have to wear two pair of socks to wear.  We were talking about this at work a while back and when I told a co-worker about this, he said "wow, you were fat from your head to toe, huh?".  I'd not thought of it that way, but it is true. 

Ginger and I were talking the other day and she commented that she also thought my feet had "shrunk" (this is different than her saying my feet stunk, but I digress).  These two comments made me think.  When I changed one thing that most folks wouldn't notice, it lead to changes that they do.  Think about it... when was the last time you were in a restaurant and REALLY noticed what someone was eating other than if it looked really good or something.  By changing what I eat and the amount of exercise I get, neither of which most people would give a second glance to, my whole body, from head to toe, was transformed. 

Think about that in a different context.  If we are really sold out to Jesus, we really don't have to announce it... people will know.   We don't need to miss an opportunity to lead someone to Christ, but we also should live a life that people can see a difference in us.  The Bible talks several times about our need to change.  Two places come to mind... Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:11 " When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I had the understanding of a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." and, more specifically, in 2 Corinthians 5:17 "¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  Did you get that?  all things have become new.  We're not the same person we used to be, physically or spiritually.  As big of a change as you see above, there is an even bigger change inside me that happened years ago and was made possible just over 2000 years ago.  I am a new creature. 

How about you?  Have you changed?  Think so?  Do others see it?  If not, re-evaluate and be honest with yourself.  If you’re not different, there is no change.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Love to hear 'em.

May He increase and i decrease,

shane