Thoughts on Romans - Day 33

                                             Romans 12:2-5
 ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.


     What is the pattern of the world that Paul is telling us not to follow or be pressured into fitting into? First of all it has to be living for ourselves. The world's philosophy is that we need to pursue our happiness- do whatever feels good as long as it isn't illegal (and if it is, try to get it legalized) and as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Paul says that people of faith think of themselves with sober judgement. In other words remember who made you, who owns you, who determines when you live and die and determines where you spend eternity, and has your best interests at heart. Our minds definitely need to be renewed on this point because all of us from birth are living to satisfy ourselves.

     Not only do we need to realize that we live for God and not for ourselves, but secondly we live as an equal with the body of Christ. Our goal isn't to advance to a position of authority where others serve us but rather to live in harmony and symbiosis and equality. Our parents don't push us in school in order to be one of many - we want to be the best. I've been watching a show on TV recently called Limitless where Brian takes a pill called NZT and he can suddenly use his whole brain for thinking. He becomes the smartest person on the planet - except of course for the other guy who has the pill, senator Mora who has systematically eliminated all pockets of NZT use so that he is the only one using NZT. Why has he done this? What is the use in being brilliant if everyone else is brilliant? Who was Superman on the planet Krypton - just a normal guy. Nobody celebrates that in our "pattern of this world". No one wants to be equal. In God's plan we are. That takes faith. That takes a transformed mind.

       Lord, You know I struggle with this. I am so self-centered rather than You centered. I desire to be the best and love recognition and honor rather than seeking to be an unnoticed cog in the wheel. Please transform my mind. Please increase my faith. Amen