“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8)
One of my least favorite expressions is “same-old, same-old.” When I ask someone how they’re doing, and they say “same-old, same-old,” I’m tempted to do an “encouragement-intervention” on them.
The expression sounds so dreary, sullen, and bored. One of the ways I sometimes process this expression is by trying to think about these words from God’s perspective.
God gives us life, and instead of being grateful, instead of seeing the awesome opportunities to share love, instead of being excited to make a difference, instead of seeing each day as a fabulous gift, we say, “same-old, same-old.” How dare we do so!
I will also try to think about this expression from Jesus’ perspective. I can’t imagine our saying “same-old, same-old” warms His heart after being betrayed, beaten, scorned, and crucified for us.
Today’s scripture says that Jesus is the “same yesterday and today and forever.” So, here’s the question: How can Jesus be the same for all times and not become “same-old?”
Jesus is the same in his identity—Son of God. He’s the same in His relationship to us—Lord, Friend, and Savior. He’s the same in how He feels about us—He always desires the best, always wants our company, always worries when we stray, always loves.
Even though Jesus is the same through all time, the love of Jesus is never “same-old” because His love makes all things new.
Most of the time when people say “same-old” they’re rather bored with life. If we’re bored with life we aren’t living into Jesus’ purposes or desires. Jesus was, is, and will be many things, but boring could never be on the list.
If we ever fall into using the expression “same-old, same-old,” I encourage us to strike it. God didn’t give us life and Jesus didn’t give His life, so that we would walk around saying, “same-old, same-old.”
Reflection Questions:
- If you ever do say “same-old, same-old,” what would help you to stop?
- Instead of saying that your life or your work is “same-old, same-old,” what do you think Jesus would like you to say?
- How do you respond to my saying that “If we’re bored with life we aren’t living into Jesus’ purposes or desires”? If indeed you are rather bored, what do you think Jesus would have you do to change that?
“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, ‘Do it again;’ and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, ‘Do it again’ to the sun; and every evening, ‘Do it again’ to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”
― G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy