And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will
of God
Romans 12 v 2
The words “paradigm shift” is much bandied about in modern day conversation but
its origin can be traced to this uni-verse. A paradigm is a
pattern. Scripture asks us not to conform to the patterns of this world
but to have transformed patterns of thought, speech, actions and reactions. Our
thought pattern, emotion pattern and decision and desire patterns are yielded
to God. Our once darkened minds are renewed by hearing the Word of God.
Our perspectives are transformed. We no longer see our purpose in life is just
to satisfy our own desires. We are not to ask like the rest of the world,
“ what is in it for me?” Instead, we are to ask, “ In what way can I
contribute? What can I do for the glory of God? What can I do to touch and save
more lives, to bring meaning, purpose and power of salvation into the lives of
others?” The purpose of our lives is no longer to make ourselves
comfortable in this lifetime but to strive for an eternal goal of
building the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. It is
surrendering or submitting our lives to the will and purpose of God. The
purpose of our work is no longer mere profit and wealth but to meet the need of
others, to serve the least of our brethren, to share the love of God.
The pattern of speech of this world is boastful, spiteful, scornful,
untruthful, vulgar, full of lies and vanity. The transformed pattern the
Word indicates is a wholesome pattern of speech that is wholesome, not
harmful to others but building the hope and faith of others. The pattern
of thought conditioned by the world is self-focussed,
problem-oriented, limited and narrow. The transformed pattern is
based on meditating on the Word. It is solution-oriented and
other-focussed. The pattern of our emotions triggered by the world and
its circumstances are largely negative and unhealthy. It is driven by fear,
insecurity, greed and selfishness. The transformed pattern of emotions is to be
hopeful for the future, joyful in the present and thankful for the
past. The process of spiritual transformation is not a one time
happening but a lifelong learning that comes from daily renewal and affirming
our relationship with the Creator-Redeemer. It does not happen due to a
lot of striving and effort on our part but a continual yielding to the Holy
Spirit who gently moulds and shapes us again in the image of God without
breaking us.
The pattern of actions of this world is highly reactive. It is
stimulus-driven. Most of our actions are knee-jerk and based on what is
happening around us. The transformed pattern of action is to not to do
unto others what they have done to us but to do that which we would have liked
them to do to us. It is proactive, progressive and a natural outflow
of selfless love or agape that God demonstrated in His Son Jesus. The
relationship pattern of this world is based on the need to dominate, to emerge
superior and “quid pro quo” or what can I gain from person x or y. The
relationship pattern is transformed when we experience the love of Christ to
one of the need to serve, to help and to bless the other. While worshipping
last Sunday, I had an insight why the angels and elders worship the Lord
saying, “ holy, holy,holy”- it implies that God or the Trinity is
absolutely perfect or holy in thought, word and action. While we cannot
exactly be holy except by attribution by grace, we need to conform to the
character of God by being wholesome in our thought pattern, word pattern and
action pattern. Transformation is a deep -seated, irreversible change in
the way we think, speak and do. Our pattern of goals and objectives are
changed. Our priorities are changed. Behavioural change
automatically ensues.
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