I’m going to date myself a little bit.  Here is a picture of me taken in 1977 for my High School yearbook.  I graduated in 1978 from Huffman High School in Birmingham, Alabama.  I think those of you who know me now will say I have changed a little bit.

  I don’t look the same today (11/28/2006) as I did in 1977 (I can’t decide if that’s good or bad).  I have changed since that picture was made in many ways… not only just how I look.  Now think with me for a moment.

  How would you like people to treat you based on the person you were 25 years ago?  Even though you have matured, changed, and mellowed a little bit, would you want them to relate to you as if you are the person you were even though you’re different now?  The obvious answer is that we want people to relate to us as we are TODAY… not 25, 15, or even 10 years ago.  Agree?

  Now if that is how we want people to relate to us… should we not afford others the same honor?  The fact is that people do change.  Things they said and did years ago, they regret now.  Things they thought years ago have since fallen by the wayside.  And it would not be fair to hold something against them that is in the past.  I think that process is called forgiveness and reconciliation in Scripture.

  I had a professor in seminary who said that we need to relate to people based on motion pictures and not snap-shots from the past for the very reason that people DO change.  Those are wise words I try to put into practice.

  Who are you relating to based on a snap-shot from the past?  Are you living out a snap-shot attitude toward yourself or someone else?  If that is the case, can I be so bold as to suggest that you put that away and take a look at the motion picture?  Your perspective might just change and the result might be that YOU change too… for the better!

  As for myself… I might try the old hairstyle again someday soon…  NAAAH, I don’t think so!