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Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Yesterday, we saw how the apostle Paul urged us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice of worship to God...based on the fact that God knows what's best for us and that He loves us. In fact, the wisdom and knowledge of God is deep and rich. The implication being that if we live God's way, we'll live deep and rich lives.
Except we never really hear that during our day.
I would say we hear mostly the opposite during our day.
Sometimes it's blatant. Advertisers tell us that our teeth aren't white enough. They tell us that our car isn't good enough. They tell us that our bodies don't look like they should. They tell us that we're not having sex enough, or that when we do, it could be so much better. They tell us that our homes don't have the right furniture. They tell us our skin isn't "young" enough. They tell us that our clothes aren't "hip" enough. I could go on...you get the point.
Sometimes it's much more subtle. Sometimes it's that God wants a certain candidate to win an election or certain team to win the big game. Sometimes it's that God didn't stop some tragedy. Sometimes it's parents telling kids that academic success leading to a good college is the key to adulthood happiness. Sometimes it's non-Christians who marginalize and trivialize those who live Biblical lifestyles in print or in speech. Sometimes it's people making fun of "See You At The Pole" and/or "True Love Waits." I could go on...you get the point.
We are told lies almost continually on a daily basis.
And we only have two responses:
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."--Romans 12: 2.
The first thing that stands out are the words "do not." We actually have a choice as to what we will believe. We can't control what thoughts go into our brain, but we can certainly make a choice as to whether or not we will entertain whatever thoughts get in there.
We're not supposed to "conform" to "this world." It's possible to begin to entertain those lies...to think that $5,000 television or $100,000 car will actually make us happy and content. To think that if we looked like the girls on the magazine we'd live like we wanted. The think if we just got into the right college and did well we'd be a success. That if we had more sex the right way we'd be fulfilled. That the sheer numbers of people who think the world's way make them "right" and Christians "wrong." It's pretty easy to start looking like the "world."
We are supposed to "transform." And notice how we truly affect change: By the renewing of our minds. We can truly change our lives by the things we choose to think about.
Don't beleive me?
Ever had a nightmare that scared you to death? You woke up from being chased. Your heart was pounding, you were shaking, and scared...you sit up in bed.
And then you begin to THINK. Wait. I'm in my bed. In my house. At night. No one is chasing me. And then your heart rate slows. You stop shaking. You calm down.
Your thoughts changed that small element of your life.
At it changes the big elements, too. The key is to start seeing the lies through the filter of God's glasses. So when a girl sees a magazine cover and starts to feel inadequate maybe she thinks about how God loves her so much that the hairs on her head are numbered. When an educator tells a teen the most important thing in life is academics, they think, no, academics are a way to honor God but they aren't the most important thing. When we get bombarded by ads that say we aren't having enough sex we might think about how sex is a gift from God and true enjoyment of that gift is found in certain parameters that He sets for it. When we see ads for material things, we know that God provides and material goods will never make us happy or content.
So, for today...
THINK.
Live today with an attitude that you're going to think God's way instead of the world's ways. So walk around, spot the lies, and think how God would view them. See if that doesn't transform you a little bit...
And tomorrow we'll look at the results of thinking God's way.
Brent 6:32 AM
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