Reasons People Resist Change

We resist change for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we fear the unknown and prefer to remain in an environment we perceive is safe and comfortable. At other times we fear loss—to get something new we often have to give something else up. Sometimes it's fear of failure. Why risk something new if there's a chance of failure? And lastly, we resist change simply because we prefer to do things our way—the way we've always done it.

When Jesus came into the world he confronted his disciples' resistance to change. Note that in Matthew 14:22-33, only Peter got out of the boat and walked on water. The rest of the disciples remained in the safe confines of their vessel and never experienced walking on water. (So next time you read that story, don't be so hard on Peter...at least he got out of the boat!)

Regarding loss, note that in Matthew 16:21-23, Peter didn’t want to lose Jesus along with his perception of future glory in an earthly kingdom. While Peter's sense of loss may seem justified, Jesus' harsh rebuke must be understood in the context of what was at stake.

In terms of fear of failure, consider the man in Matthew 25:14-30 who buried the gold entrusted to him. By his own admission, he was afraid of his master and the implications of what a successful investment might entail.

Lastly, consider Jesus' disciples' resistance to change because of their personal preferences. In John 6:52-66 many disciples no longer followed Jesus because he simply didn't fit their idea of a Messiah.

[Next week I will talk about the stages of a leader being developed and the responsibility of a leader developer at each stage.]