One of
the most common phrases Paul uses throughout Philippians is mind in Christ, a perfect expansion of the in-Christ motif that
runs throughout Pauline epistles.
Why?
How we
think and what we give permission to occupy our minds deeply affects how we
live, interact with others, face suffering, focus our energies, distribute our
gifts, talents, and resources, and move in rhythm with the gospel. Paul knew this first hand. The earliest Christians, for whom commitment
to the Way was more than a religious preference but a costly daily decision,
were convicted of this. We, too, would
do well to lean forward and ponder the same.
It can be
said that to be a follower of Jesus and to exist as an "in-Christ"
citizen of the colony of heaven does not come naturally. It is a discipline, a
practice, an art form contemplated, considered, and ultimately lived into as
individuals within the context of community. We must learn to have the mind of
Christ, to think on the Way of Jesus,
and ultimately become the people God
has called to occupy earth as in heaven.
What do you think about?
What occupies your mind?
Over the
past six months I have spent a lot of time in the car, especially since we have
moved and my commute to church is longer than four minutes. I have occupied my mind during these daily
commutes with the constant streaming of disgruntled sports talk radio. The past six months have also witnessed other
additions to our family- hungry babies. As I struggle to balance two bottles of
formula in the mouths of our fidgety twins, I have watched endless cycles of
Sportscenter. This may not be that big of a deal if it was the fall of 2008
with Philly sports, most notably the Phillies, at the apex of their
championship push. But this year is quite different. Therefore, the fruit of my mind tuned into ESPN and
97.5: increased cynicism, deeper criticism, and certainly less gratitude for
the wide variety of blessings that have come our way this past year.
Yet, I
hear Paul whisper:
Rejoice
in the Lord always.
Gentleness
evident to everyone.
The Lord
is near.
Pray...with
thanksgiving.
Peace of
God.
These
words have hit me like a ton of bricks. Better said, Paul's internal dialogue has
actually become my own. My mind had
become so cluttered with radio voices and other distractions that I had begun to live into the same spirit of these voices. I had the mind of cynical analysts.
What I needed was to renew my mind in Christ.
Some of
you may relate. The reality is this: we
give so many things permission to occupy and form our minds. The music we listen to, the video games we
play, the movies we watch, and the t.v. shows we view also affect us more than
we may want to admit. We can also consider how much our minds are exposed to
corporate ads, all which tell us that we need to think on and ultimately purchase this or that product. This is a scary reality:
“The average American encounters 3,000 commercial messages each day. Whether this is a radio commercial, a magazine ad, a logo on the side of a coffee cup or a billboard you pass on the highway, these images and messages are designed to cause you to think of your life as incomplete, and desire the product they are selling to make your life complete again” (Donald Miller, "Christianity and Advertising")
If we consider how much time we "think on" these things compared to how much we center ourselves on Christ, it is no wonder we have difficulty hearing and living into the voice of God.
What we need is to renew our minds in Christ.
Yet Paul
calls us to more than an internalized, self-actualized way of thinking. In-Christ citizens of the colony of heaven
are called to a renewed mind, yes! Yet
minds formed by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus also and especially
invite us to a new way of being in and
for the world.
I think
Mumford & Sons help us out here:
Said
differently, where you invest your mind,
you invest your life.
Here we
meet Philippians 4:8-9, which builds on the previous verses. Karl
Barth's interpretation captures it best:
"Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is righteous, whatever is pure, whatever is kindly, whatever is praiseworthy, whatever is called a virtue and deserves recognition- think on that! And what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- do that! So will the God of peace be with you." (Epistle to the Philippians).Think on that:
whatever is true
whatever is honorablerighteousness
purity
Invest your
love and mind on these things:
whatever is kindly
whatever is worthy of praise
Virtues that mark the way of Christ
And don't
just think on these things....do them, live into them, make them your
very life as lived in Christ!
And the
God of peace will be with you...Remember, the Lord is near.
The
relationship Paul had with the Philippians would have made it a little easier
for them to know what these true, kindly, and honorable virtues were. Some have
already been mentioned in this prison letter:
Consider
the needs of others, even above your own (2:4).
Shine
like stars in a crooked world (2:15).Hold fast to the word of life, who is Jesus (2:16).
Remember and live into your identity as citizens of heaven (3:20).
Still, what is Paul talking
about here? I wonder if the Philippians, when they gathered together for the
reading of this letter and came to this point, they broke up into small groups
and discussed: what are these things Paul
speaks about? How can we do them?
So that's
what the Imago Dei Youth did last night, here are a few:
Amen.
Note:
Two of the more helpful disciplines that I have practiced, and invited students to consider, over the years are Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer. Here is a resource I have used over and again: Lectio Divina/Centering Prayer