Repeating from last week, the first time I heard the statement, There is no change if there is no change, I thought it redundant. But after the Holy Spirit explained it to me I saw the value of this truth: If you want tomorrow to be different from yesterday, you must do something different today – different as in doing something better.
We have reviewed the first and second levels of change, namely the Superficial and Situational Level.
We have learned superficial levels of change is temporary at best. It has been theorized if one changes their situation things will be better, but this too has proven to be a temporary change.
The Substantial Level is the third level that can bring about permanent change when maintained as a basic outlook on life.
We describe this level of change as a change in attitude. You have perhaps heard the saying: Our attitude determines our altitude. I learned this truth from a life-changing experience that was a pivotal point in my life.
I drank my first beer at age 17 on New Year’s Eve 1951, and for the next 17 years (as often as possible) I was getting drunk, was drunk or was sobering up. In all fairness to me I was an alcoholic, but I was not dysfunctional.
I graduated from high school in June 1953. I was an A-B Honor Roll student. I did not miss a day from high school during my entire four years. Every job I’ve held I started at the bottom and left that job holding a better position than when I began. Even now at age 80, I can report I have never been unemployed since taking on my first newspaper route at age eleven.
Enough of tooting my own horn now allow me to fast-forward to Thursday, January 16, 1969.
I was attending a free Beef n’ Booze Dinner – all you can eat and all you can drink. The dealership where I worked divided the sales force into five five-man teams. The team I was on won the contest. I volunteered to go to the restaurant an hour early to set up the dining room – not because I was Mr. Nice-guy – but so I could get into the booze an hour earlier.
When the room was set up, I was drinking my second double-bourbon and water. I set the half-finished drink on a table and glanced around the room assuring myself everything was ready.
In that moment, while lighting a cigarette, a waitress came into the room and set a cup of coffee on the table next to my drink.
Simultaneous thoughts flashed through my mind. First thought, why did she bring that cup of coffee to me? I didn’t order it. I was there to get drunk not to sober up.
The second thought, actually a vision, rapidly wiped the first thought from my mind. In my mind’s eye, God allowed me to see my life as He had been viewing it for 17 years – in a flash of a moment. While motionless in that moment I uttered out loud to myself, “That is the ugliest sight I have ever seen; I do not want to live that way another day.”
I went home sober that night for the first time in many years. In October of 1969 I quit smoking as quickly as I had stopped drinking.
After I had stayed off of booze for about six weeks, I said to my family “I don’t think I am going to drink any more.”
My family rightly asked, “Why should we believe you this time?”
Because of many failed superficial and situational changes I was unable to make a firm commitment, but I said, “I have a new attitude. For the first time in many years I know drinking is wrong.”
Until we have a change in attitude about what we are doing, or failing to do, we will not change.
Remember, if you want tomorrow to be different from yesterday you must do something different today – different meaning do something better.
