Robert Lacy, in his best-selling biography, Ford, The Man and the Machine, recounts Henry Ford’s love for his Model T, as long as it was black. William Knudsen, Ford’s ace production man, saw the sun setting on the Model T and decided to allow his creative juices to flow, redesigning the Model T. Henry Ford returned from a jaunt in Europe, walked into the showroom and saw the RED lacquer finish on a low-slung chassis version of his beloved Model T, and promptly went ballistic. Ripping doors off with his bare hands, stomping all over the hood, trunk and seats of the car, breaking the windshield, ripping the canvas top with his shoes, Ford clearly indicated his thoughts towards the changes made to his beloved Model T. Knudsen left shortly for a job with General Motors. Competitive necessity finally backed Henry Ford into making the Model A, but his heart was never really into it!

I’m sure it’s easy for us to look at someone like Henry Ford and ask the question, “How could such a brilliant man be so resistant to change?” But really, are we any different? We resist change in the same manner as Henry Ford did. Okay, perhaps we’re just a tad bit more civilized, but we resist change nonetheless.

We’ve just come through the season of Lent, the 40-day period leading up to the celebration of Easter, a time to reflect on life, to reflect on change, to reflect on spirituality. It’s a time to look honestly at the parts of our lives that are hurting our friendship with God. We are called to do it not because we have to, but because we want to experience deeper joy, a deeper sense of love and trust in God, a deeper sense of peace.

Other people, television, popular songs and authors offer us many definitions of joy, love, peace, and happiness. The problem is that we have lived long enough and painfully enough to know those definitions all leave us feeling somewhat empty, frustrated and dissatisfied with life. During Lent, many took an opportunity to break the habit of listening to what others say about love and happiness, and renew or begin the process of listening to God instead, hearing what he has to say about love, happiness, joy, and peace.

But in order to do that, we have to change. It was Jesus who said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” It was Jesus who said, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”

In order for us to experience this life, to experience it in all its fullness, it means that we have to change. We have to stop and reflect, evaluate, and listen to God. As we do that, most often we will respond like Henry Ford did when he saw that red Model T. We will kick and scream because change doesn’t come easy. Even though the season of Lent is behind us, we still have opportunity to take some time to reflect, to consider what Jesus had to say about life, happiness, joy, and peace? Why not consider changes that might be needed? You will find that the “new, improved” model will be better than the old! And you have God’s guarantee on that!