Scrap Of Faith

A Leopard Can’t Change His Spots

How many times have we heard that and many other’s like it? “You can’t change him”; “You’ll never change”, “Once a cheater always a cheater”, “You’ll always be a loser”. Oh boy, such encouraging words!

If we were to listen to phrases like this and hold onto them, then there is no hope for any of us. We are doomed to be lost in our hopelessness and never change.

I look at my life before I found Christ and the truth found only in the Bible and I look at my life now and you know what? I have changed. So how did I do it? By all accounts I shouldn’t have because as you know a leopard can’t change its spots. You know what? A leopard can’t change his spots!! But wait a minute I just said I had changed, but if I can’t change my spots, then what am I talking about? I can’t change me, but God through the work of His Holy Spirit can change me. God can change that leopard and wipe the spots clear off him.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! What a promise if you are in Christ you will be a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. That sounds like change to me! When we are in Christ, we are in His Word, reading His truths desiring to be more like Him. How can you not change when you are becoming Christ Like? We are born into this world in Sin and through Christ we are reborn.

Can you remember when you were “considering” Christ, do you take that step and become a “Christian” or are you okay how you are? I remember a close friend in high school who believed in God, but wasn’t ready to commit because then she would have to change and have to be “good” and she wasn’t ready to stop sinning. If only she knew that the change isn’t done on our own strength that we open our lives to Christ and say “You’re the potter, I am the clay, mold me Lord”. He helps us to become “good”.

The changes that Christ works in us are ALWAYS for good. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. With a promise like that I invite you to ask Christ into your heart and to allow His Holy Spirit to mold you and change you for His purpose.