Connect for Change

A person I know once shared about his traumatic childhood and the vivid memories of seeing his father physically abusing his mother. His mother would hide in the bathroom to escape from her husband’s fury.

Growing up with such a warped understanding of being “the man of the house,” he unconsciously repeated the same pattern with his wife. He hated those childhood experiences, but eventually ended up doing the same thing. What we turn out to be has a lot to do with our upbringing and the values taught at home. Of course, there are others who influence our lives, but the primary influence is our home. Many who become antisocial often come from broken homes. Character is not taught but caught.

Very often, I hear people say education will change character. When crimes happen, they are most often associated with uneducated people. I’m not denying the role of education in shaping a person’s character, but I’m convinced that education alone is not the answer. We hear more reports of educated people being involved in very intelligent crimes. The educated are not demanding less dowry; in fact, they often ask for more. The educated are also behind many of the scandals our country is facing today.

Psychologically, influencing someone to change their character takes a lot of time and effort. It is practically impossible for character to change overnight—unless there is an intervention by God, as in the story of Reny George. This is the mystery of human beings made in the image of God. Transformations that happen overnight, like in Reny’s case, are only possible when we connect to the God of all divine character.

The story of Reny George highlights two vital truths. Firstly, the power of a praying parent has a significant effect on their children. Secondly, no matter how far you have gone from God, it only takes one step to return—if you are willing to reconnect with your Creator. Connecting our lives to God is key in building character. If every parent consciously helps connect their children to God, even the prodigals will return.

True character is found in God, and He alone has the power to change our lives. God wants to restore families, and He can restore even the worst situations of your life—if you decide to connect with Him. Even if you have been shaped by poor influences, there is hope because we are made in God’s image. Stories of transformed lives continue to make headlines because God is still at work. He can work in you too, just as He has worked in Reny and many others.