A Devotional Life

Romans 12:1-21

"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)

            Spend any time amongst Christians and you will - almost inevitably - be asked, "What's your 'life verse'?" A "life verse" is one of those lines or passages or stories from scripture that the Holy Spirit has pressed and seared into your heart and mind. It is never - indeed, never can be - the summation of the entire gospel. That's not the point. It is, instead, a sign of the work to which Jesus Christ is calling you specifically. Today's reading from Romans - especially the above highlighted verse - is just such a "life verse" for me.

            Conforming vs. Transforming is at the heart of Paul's message. In this verse, he understands that the world is threatened by transformation. It prefers the status quo, the "same old, same old." The world lives by "the way things have always been." It wants conformity. Jesus Christ, however, having been victim to the world's sins knows that conforming only leads to demise. Conformity is a death march to despair. In it's place we are offered transformation. And the One who became incarnate (that's a transformation!), who took on death (again, another big transformation for God!), and who rose again from the dead (a HUGE transformation!) - this One is able to transform things. It is not inaccurate to say that Jesus is in the transformation business. Yet what has always called out to me is that this transformation comes "by the renewing of your minds." Indeed, my own interest in theology and theological ethics is undoubtedly a result of feeling the Spirit's continual urging to be transformed from my mind out.

            What this has meant, quite practically, is a healthy and faithful skepticism toward "this world" and a plumbing of the depths of the Christian faith to see what Good Word can be spoken to the world. And while no facet of life falls outside of this work, I want to provide an example to help us understand how this transformation by mind renewal works. An example is necessary because we miss the point of what Paul is saying here if we hear him saying, "Reject all the bad things the world says and does and accept what the gospel says and does." The second clause is spot on, but the first part can be misleading because it isn't just the "bad things" that challenge the gospel, but even the world's virtues. So, for example, our culture sees "support the troops" as a value. It is a good thing to do. And yet, when pressed on what "support" means, it more often than not turns on celebrating victories and holding parades. It might also mean erecting memorials. Yet simultaneously we find that an estimated 130,000-200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night - a figure that represents roughly one-fourth to one-fifth of the overall homeless population in America. Or, for example, while the world throws parades, estimates of anywhere between one-eighth to one-third of all veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). There are not enough parades in the world to cure PTSD. It is at these moments where "this world" so clearly misses the mark in actually and truly supporting our troops. And this is why conformity - even of the world's more virtuous actions - cannot be taken at face value. A healthy, faithful skepticism must abide. Moreover, those Christians who seek to truly support the troops will have to be worldly non-conformists. They will have to see the world's slogan - "Support the Troops" - be transformed by the renewing of their minds. We will - we must! - come to understand "support" in broader, more holistic terms. Merely parroting the world's rhetoric will only leave very real children of God abandoned, alone, exposed, and vulnerable.

            One last obvious point must be made: One's mind is not renewed by accident. It takes study, discussion, prayer, and discipline. If someone is looking for easy answers to complex problems, they are looking to avoid transformation. Easy answers are the first line of attack by the world's conformity. So let us, therefore, double down on our efforts to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Let us view the world through a Christian lens. Let us listen to FoxNews and NPR with equal skepticism and seek the mind of Christ in these matters. And then let us wait patiently for the ways the Holy Spirit will transform our lives, our church, and our community. Amen.