Open to Change

I just went to my bank and was surprised to see it all digitized. No more manual filling up of slips. No more standing in line. The service is faster and more efficient. But before appreciating the new system, I didn't like the change. I was already comfortable of the familiar bank scene. It took some time for me to understand the benefit of the new system.
How do we embrace change? Maybe these 3 O's can help.
1. Openness - first, listen to the new way of doing things and seek to understand the benefits. Being open will allow blessings to come in. A closed heart will keep us in one place, stagnant. The world around us moves, even at a faster rate than all previous generations. Even the Pope has a twitter account to embrace the benefits of technology in our evangelization.
2. Objectiveness - for ease of accepting the change, we have to understand the objectives. The objectives reveal the principles behind the movements. As long as you are agreeable to the objectives, you can even propose a better system, and be a source of the solution and not a stumbling block.
3.Oneness - disunity is a risk of change. So, we ask ourselves, "Are my reactions divisive or unitive?" We can espouse oneness by going back to our core values. This dictates our behavior and the things we value that should make us one.
Change must be managed. Transitions cannot be abrupt. The ushering in of a new way goes through testing, appreciation, as well as strong will. The Pharisees did not like the change that Jesus presented. But prior to His coming, prophets have already prepared God's people. John the baptist was to prepare the way of the Lord. The apostles had openness, objectiveness, and oneness in their minds and hearts. The Pharisees were already comfortable with the old ways. They were close-minded, short sighted, and divisive. And so, they missed the point of what the prophets of old were conveying.
The Holy Spirit will change us. "And I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36: 26)." Let us then yield ourselves to the move of the Spirit. Be open to His change in us.
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