An Analogy

There is an axiom that I’ve heard Dr. Gary Chapman talk about for a long time. Many call or write and ask how they can change their spouse. You can’t, of course, change someone else. But changing your own life forces others to adjust and move. If you want a deeper relationship with your spouse, moving toward that person in love will force them to respond. It may not work out like you want, but they do have to respond.

I’ve known that in my head, but I just realized the truth of it from moving to Arizona. In this area, they don’t change their clocks when Daylight Savings Time rolls around. I’ve thought for a long time that clocks should just stay the same and not switch back and forth. But these people are actually doing that. “Great,” I thought. “I get to stay the same while everyone else changes! Na na na na boo boo!”

Then, yesterday, Andrea said something about the time of my Chris Fabry Live program changing. I scowled and said, “No, our time doesn’t change.”

“Yes, but Chicago time does. You’ll have to do your show at noon instead of 1 pm.”

Ouch. That hadn’t occurred to me. Even though I stay the same, when someone else changes, it affects me. I have to change.