“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 22-23).

One of the most rigorous tests of our wisdom is dealing with changing challenges. Life requires more of us than just memorizing a few rules and doing the same thing in every situation. As our text in Jude 22-23 points out, we must discern when different people need different things. The principles of the gospel don’t change, but their application does. Adaptability means addressing our ever-changing challenges — without violating God’s word.

Parents: With multiple children, we know that parents must deal with each child uniquely, and even in one-child families, the child’s circumstances are always going to be a kaleidoscope of changing conditions. If parents are not flexible, rebellion may be their reward.

Elders in the local congregation: Elders soon learn, especially in today’s unstable world, that God’s truth must be applied wisely to specific situations. It’s no coincidence that the primary leadership skill that elders must have is “family” leadership (1 Timothy 3:4,5; Titus 1:6). In both the family and the congregation, adaptability means applying God’s rules situationally (read again Jude 22-23) while adhering faithfully to the principles of His truth, which are not situational.

But the above are simply illustrations. My point in this essay is about you and me in our daily walk as individuals. What others need from us will differ from one person to another, so we have to be wise. However, in using what we call “good judgment,” we must never twist what God has said (2 Peter 3:16). As I mentioned at the top, this is one of life’s most rigorous tests, and I fear that in today’s culture, many are failing the test: boldly setting aside anything about God they believe is on “the wrong side of history.” Too often, it’s the Scriptures that are being adapted to culture, rather than vice versa.

However, the right kind of adaptability upholds the authority of the Scriptures. Doing that is not easy these days, yet we must make every effort to do it - always learning, doing our best, and rectifying past mistakes. We must study the Scriptures enough to know what God has commanded and then apply God’s revelation - humbly and judiciously - to the increasingly complex challenges we face.

“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles” (Jimmy Carter).