It's still early days in the New Year. New years afford us the ability and the chance to bring about changes in our lives; one, because it's new beginnings and change is something that is expected and we are able to do those changes without too many eyebrows being raised. And also, for our own selves, we feel that inner pulse propelling us towards change – maybe saying that new years are good times to do that. I'm going to push your buttons today on change, if that's indeed something that you have been balking at maybe. I'm going to challenge you on that.
Change is something that needs to happen but doesn't happen because of various reasons. We are uncomfortable with it; we are not sure whether we have all the pieces in place; we are not ready for it; we haven't thought it through. Sometimes we just don't go ahead because we don't think that we are ready enough. And yet, sometimes it takes a leap of faith to make a change work for you.
In the past 2 weeks, there is this video on Nokia that has been making the rounds. It talks about how it fell from being one of the highest rated companies in phone devices to absolutely nothing; from a $ 50 billion company to being sold for $ 7 million to Microsoft. If you read a little bit about Nokia, among the many mistakes that they made, and analysts have identified all of them and done many case studies, the one thing that they just refused to look at and accept was that the old Symbian OS that they were using, was old. Even companies like Samsung and Sony Ericsson had moved on to the new IOS and Android systems, they continued to use the old one that they had. By the time they switched to Windows Phone as primary Operating System, it was too late. Their stock prices fell to just under $2 and Nokia almost became bankrupt. All because they were not willing to see the changes that were happening all around them.
It made me think: sometimes the markers are all around us and yet, we have our heads in the sand and we say: "I'm not going to do it. I'm used to what I'm doing," when really everything around us is saying "You've got to take that step. See what needs to be done; see the situation and circumstances that are pointing to a particular path and take it." And sometimes we don't. and like I said in the beginning: new Years give us the opportunity to change.
We've heard of famous last words and this is attributed to the CEO of Nokia who said this. I'm not sure of its veracity but it's a good word for us. He said, "We didn't do anything wrong, but still we lost." Truer words were never spoken. Doing nothing wrong doesn't mean you are doing something right. In fact, maintaining the status quo at times, isn't the right thing when change is beckoning. We are not expected to drift; we are expected to take charge of our lives and do something with it.
When Nokia's new CEO, Rajeev Suri, took over, he brought about a new set of values in August 2014. He said, "We're going to have respect, achievement, renewal and challenge." I like those – 4 words that capture a whole lot.
· Respect for who we have been as a company.
· Achievement for the many things that we have achieved. Don't ever gloss over those things.
· Renewal – it's the time now to renew ourselves
· Challenge – take up the challenge. It's not going to be easy, but there's a challenge to be taken and this is the time for it.
So, as you look at your own lives – respect who you are, respect all the things that have made you, you. Celebrate the achievements but don't settle into those achievements and bask in what has happened. Look at your life and say that there is need for renewal. Then take up the challenge.
As I say this, sometimes it is very difficult to do this on our own strength and I'm always thrilled to add a component of the Divine into our talk. It brings us that added leverage that we always need that will transform what is a very ordinary thing into something extraordinary.
Our Scriptures say this in a couple of places: "The Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding." Maybe that's what you need today. You need wisdom and knowledge and understanding to make the right choice.
Or take this verse: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and without reproach." Maybe that's what you need. You need to turn to God and say, "Would You help me? Would You give me wisdom to make the right decision?"
Or this verse: "To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness." Maybe that's what you need today – wisdom, knowledge and happiness.
Today could be the day that the Lord has made. In fact, Scripture reminds us that it is. And we ought to rejoice and be glad in it. And maybe taking that one step to bring about the change that is waiting to happen will bring it on and today could be that day. And maybe in the future you will look back on this day and say that you are so thankful that you took the step that brought about change.
Anyway, I thought in the first ten days that we have of the New Year, I'm going to push you just a little bit. If there are some of you who are just on the edge, wondering whether you need to change, I want you to re-evaluate and see if change is something that you need to do, then do it. Seize the day. Let this be the day that counts.
May I pray with you? Almighty God, You are the silent listener to all our conversations. But You are also very proactive in our lives when we invite You into them. We ask that You would speak to us as we speak to You. Tell us if we need to change, and then even go beyond that. Empower us to make right decisions, wise decisions to be able to change in the right way. I pray a blessing on each one reading this post. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen.
· Nokia info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia
· Scripture references: Proverbs 2:8; James 1:5; Eccle. 2:26
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