Transform, not conform

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

     Our minds are like a parachute. They work best when open. Today we are urged to open our minds to a new way of being. We are not to be conformed to worldly thinking, but transformed by the renewing of our minds through the empowering ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. In doing so, we will find ourselves in the center of God's good and perfect will. In the process, the world will become a better place.

     Through a dramatic experience with the risen Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9), the author of today's inspired verse was powerfully transformed when Jesus opened the parachute of his mind to a new way of thinking and being. The love of Christ transformed his earlier violent, deadly and even murderous hatred into nonviolent love and respect for all people. From the very beginning, Jesus has always been about the powerful transformation of sinners into saints. This transformation is for religious and irreligious people alike. Such transformation begins in the mind. Our minds are our control center of attitudes, thoughts, feelings and actions.

     From the moment of birth, society and institutionalized religions carefully teach us how to open and close our mental parachutes. Whether we admit it or not, we have been carefully programmed to conform to a status quo that often falls short of God's perfection.

     But if we want things to be different in our world, we have to be different. We must open our mental parachutes and allow Jesus himself to transform our habitual ways of thinking and interacting with others.

     As thoughtful followers of Christ, we are not allowed the luxury of mindless conformity to evil. We have a divine mandate to be transformed into the mind of Christ and see people through his mindset. His mindset has always been counter cultural, for Jesus models a completely non-sexist, non-racist, non-violent and non-homophobic worldview of living, being and thinking.

     Seek the mind of Christ and you will be transformed. In doing so, you will find the center of God's will for your life, and promote the healing of Zimbabwe.

     Prayer: Dear God, our minds are like a parachute, which works best when open. Open our minds to the transforming power of Jesus Christ. May our attitudes, thoughts, perceptions and perspectives ultimately reflect his mindset in all we do and say. Transform us from the inside out, we pray. Amen.

Written by Rev. Dr. Sandy Bochonok
http://soulfoodministry.org
August 24, 2002
Permission is given to freely distribute and share this reflection with the people of Zimbabwe.