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A Leopard's Spots

In Jeremiah 13 God asked an interesting question through His prophet: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots (v.23)?” This question is rhetorical because we know the answer to both halves of that question is no. The Ethiopian cannot change the color of his skin, nor can the leopard get rid of his trademark pattern. 

But why did God ask such an obvious question? He was making a point, as the second half of the verse tells us: “Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.”

The things about the Ethiopian and the leopard is not that they do not have the ability to change, but that they have no desire to change. Why would the Ethiopian want to change his dark skin? Why would the leopard want to remove his spots? They are proud of the way they look; that is part of their distinguishing characteristic. 

The point was the stubborn people of Israel’s Southern Kingdom had even less desire to change their behavior. Their identifying mark was their idolatry and pride, much as the leopard and Ethiopian are recognized by their traits. 

Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? No. Not naturally. But don’t forget Jesus’ words in Mark 10:27, “With God, all things are possible.” He made them both, so He can change them both. This means the sinner trapped in his sin can also change. God can break the chains of addiction and create a new heart where there once was a heart of stone. 

Charles Stanley had this to say of Jeremiah’s question: “This verse teaches us that change involves more than intentions. We have to break free from our habitual patterns and lean into the transformative power of God to restore us to our intended purpose.”

God’s transformative power can do more than just change the physical, it can change the spiritual. For those who do not think it can, remember, He changed you when He saved you. You didn’t clean up your own life in order to be saved, you called out to Jesus and then He changed you, which was no less a miracle than changing skin. 

If you want to be changed, this same transformative power is available to all who call on the name of the Lord.  

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